


Our very first kiss was your first kiss goodbye

by Popstar



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Music, Alternate Universe - Romantic Comedy, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg Friendship, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Happy Ending, Jaskier works for Yennefer, Jaskier | Dandelion & Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg Friendship, Jaskier | Dandelion Has Feelings, M/M, POV Jaskier | Dandelion, Past Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Past Relationship(s), Pining, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Fluff, Slow Burn, Triss owns a pub, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Yennefer owns a coffee shop, Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg Ships It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:07:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24820555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Popstar/pseuds/Popstar
Summary: Yennefer gives him a look that tells Jaskier just how much of a morning person she is and gestures towards the door, the doorbell jingling in the moment. “I’m here to welcome your new colleague,” she says and when Jaskier turns around to look at the newcomer, he doesn’t believe his eyes.“Geralt?”Or the one where Geralt walks back into Jaskier’s life, two years after a hot one night stand, bringing Jaskier more than he could have bargained for.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 134
Kudos: 252





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm very new to the Witcher fandom. But I've fallen in love and I've fallen hard. This plot bunny has bitten me a few weeks ago, I started talking to my friends, then I wrote it down and now... here we are. 
> 
> I have combined a few things from the games (even though I haven't played them) and the TV series and there might be a few references I've taken from the books, although they are only minor. I just... yeah. I hope it makes sense. And I'm sorry if romantic comedy is not your thing... this definitely counts at it. I mean... yeah.
> 
> [crownheartsteacup](http://crownheartsteacup.tumblr.com) is the best person in the world and she's the best for reading this over. <3 
> 
> The title is shamelessly stolen from Bon Jovi (and altered a little). Because Bon Jovi rocks. On occasion.
> 
>  **Disclaimer** : I don't own anything and this is simply for entertainment. Don't want to hurt anyone's feelings here and am not implying anything - it's just fiction that sprung from my imagination.

Jaskier closes his eyes as the last note fills the room and then a light set of applause hits him. It’s always a good feeling when his music is taken in well by the people in the pub who have been forced to listen to it. He opens his eyes again and scans the room as he smiles, taking in the reaction of the people. At least no one booed. He counts that as win, bows and nods, calling out his thanks. It’s not that there are many people watching him, there never really are and it hurts his pride because while he might not be Ed Sheeran yet, he likes to think he’s quite good with his guitar and his words. At least that’s what his parents have told him when he’s left his sheltered home to set out to become a famous musician.

While he hasn’t managed to become one yet, at least more people have started paying attention to his singing. He’s got his fair share of followers on his various social media accounts and they do appreciate his clips and his little witty jokes from time to time. 

Tonight there aren’t as many people in the pub as usual and it’s probably because it’s a week night and the weather is shit in their small town they’re living in and not because of Jaskier and his music. Posada isn’t known for its love for higher class entertainment and education but that doesn’t mean the people can’t appreciate some form of entertainment and normally his gigs attract at least some small crowds. He’s thankful for everyone who has come to watch him play. Before he came to stay in Posada he’s managed to travel around the lands a bit and has met different people, different musicians as well and while a lot of them have urged him to take his chance on a television show, Jaskier isn’t quite sure he’d be cut out for that. Sure, Harry Styles is a great example, but Jaskier wants to make it on his own, wants to make it old school.

Maybe he’ll need to move to Beauclair eventually to make a good living for himself with his music. The city is a thriving place for young musicians and people who are chasing their big dreams. But he hasn’t really felt the need to move into the big city yet, something has always held him back. It’s not his family, that’s for sure, since he’s already left them behind to see what the world has to offer for him, but he feels like there is something out there for him that is not yet in Beauclair.

As he packs up his guitar he casually scans the room again and his gaze stops upon a man at the bar, broad shoulders, white hair, a grim look and a broody expression on his face. Jaskier has never seen him in town before and that counts for something, considering how small the town is. Usually someone like that immediately catches everyone’s attention. At least Jaskier’s, that’s for sure.

Instantaneously he feels his interest spark as he watches him, meeting the stranger’s amber eyes with his own and Jaskier can’t help but smile. Quickly he finishes packing up his guitar and makes his way over to the bar where the man is sitting, taking a seat on the barstool next to him. “I haven’t seen you around here before. I certainly would remember you,” he starts and winces a little at his own very bad and not quite subtle flirting. “Did you like my performance?”

The man grunts and then turns to Jaskier, eyeing him for a moment, quite obviously not very interested in sharing a conversation with him. “I’ve heard better.”

“Ouch.” Jaskier clutches his colourful floral shirt over his heart. “No need to be brutally honest.” He chuckles and holds out his hand for him. “I’m Jaskier by the way.”

The stranger looks down at Jaskier’s hand, then back up again and nods but doesn’t take his hand to shake it. “Geralt,” he says, or rather, grunts out.

Jaskier smiles at him and holds out his hand for the barkeeper to let him know he’s ready to order, then moving to smoothen his shirt in an inconspicuous way, pretending he never meant to shake the stranger’s hand anyway. His interest more than awakened by now. The stranger – Geralt – is definitely what Jaskier considers handsome and he would love to get to know him a bit better, maybe even take him home. Jaskier isn’t opposed to doing that every now and then and there’s hardly enough opportunity for him in this small town, most inhabitants taken or not really his type. “Well then, Geralt, it’s very nice to meet you. Allow me to buy you a beer?”

Geralt makes another noise, this time it does sound a little like he’s agreeing with Jaskier’s proposal and finally he nods, making Jaskier’s face break out into a wide grin.

“Marvellous!” He exclaims and laughs before he turns to the bartender to order two beers for them. As soon as they are placed in front of them, he lifts his glass to Geralt and grins. “To a fun night, Geralt.”

The addressed raises his eyebrow and gives Jaskier a look that tells him he’s not quite sure of that. But Jaskier smiles a little wider and takes a sip of his beer. He’s determined to find out Geralt’s business in town and whether or not he plans on staying a little longer. Purely out of selfish interest, of course.

\--

The evening with Geralt, as is turns out, is rather pleasant, mostly because he doesn’t talk a lot and lets Jaskier do most of the talking. And Jaskier has a lot to say, especially since he hasn’t really made a lot of friends yet since moving to town. There are a few people he likes to spend his time with and while they are fun to be around with he wouldn’t exactly call them friends. Geralt doesn’t seem to mind listening to him babble away and it’s not that Jaskier wouldn’t mind hearing a few more actual spoken words from Geralt here or there, but talking to him, even like this, definitely a nice way to pass the time. “So, are you planning on staying a little longer, Geralt, or are you just here for a night?” Jaskier asks, by now he hasn’t gotten much out of him, only that he claims to be in town for business, which he hasn’t specified yet.

Geralt, a little drunk, probably, lets out a grunt and turns his head to look at Jaskier, eyeing him closely as he takes him in. “Why do you ask?”

Jaskier laughs at that and throws his hands in the air, almost feeling a little desperate about the thickness of the man. If he doesn’t recognises an offer when it’s laid out for him, Jaskier will have to spell it out, quite obviously. “Well, I would very much like to know if a handsome stranger like you stays a little longer in a small town like this, so I’ll know whether or not I can invite you to come watch my performances more often? Maybe have a few more beers afterwards or if I’d even get a chance to ask you out on a date?”

“I don’t date,” Geralt replies gruffly and Jaskier snorts. Of course he doesn’t. 

“Well, it doesn’t have to be a date then,” he points out and brings his hand up to place it on Geralt’s arm, making the other man look down at Jaskier’s hand for a moment before he shoots him a dark look. “Or maybe nothing like this either.” Jaskier smiles, pets Geralt’s forearm for a moment before he pulls his hand back. Well, Jaskier has had worse rejections in his life, so he can probably to live with it. Even though there is something that draws him to Geralt specifically.

“Do you always flirt with strangers like this?” Geralt asks after a moment and Jaskier shrugs.

“Only the most handsome ones.”

Geralt grunts again and this time it definitely sounds a bit more pleased than before and Jaskier counts it as a win.

It’s hard to tickle information out of Geralt, even though he seems a little more talkative now that he’s probably slightly drunk. But Geralt doesn’t spill any information to Jaskier’s questions, especially to those of why he is in town and what business he’s got to attend to or how long he’ll stay. But the more Geralt keeps his silence, the more Jaskier is intrigued and wants to know more about him.

Eventually though the bartender reminds him about closing time and nods towards the door. Jaskier sighs and after a look around the pub he notices that Geralt and he are the only two people left. “We better get going then,” he says and pays for their remaining drinks before he slides off his barstool, waiting for Geralt to do the same.

Geralt grabs a black leather bag by his feet and shoulders it, making his way towards the door, Jaskier following him immediately on his way out. The leather jacket Geralt is wearing over his black Henley makes his shoulders look even broader and Jaskier can’t help but sigh a little. It’s been a while since he’s had the chance to meet such an interesting and handsome man and he doubts that he’ll meet someone like Geralt again anytime soon. He’s more than intrigued and he’d love to get to know Geralt on a more intimate level.

“Are you staying at the B&B? Dolores makes delicious breakfast,” he remarks once they are on the street and Geralt looks back at him.

“Thank you for the beer, Jaskier,” he says a little gruffly but still manages to smile slightly and Jaskier can’t help but laugh a little. So much for his tries to not let the night end so abruptly and drag it out a little bit longer. 

“You’re very much welcome, Geralt,” he replies and then smiles back at him, taking that his final cue to not ask for more. Sometimes even Jaskier knows when to stop pushing his luck. Geralt doesn’t look like a patient man and Jaskier feels like he’s tried his patience long enough for now. Tonight he doesn’t feel like getting punched for being too persistent. “Anyway, it was a fun night. Talking to you has been nice. And maybe, who knows, someday we’ll meet again?”

“Maybe,” Geralt agrees and nods. “Goodbye, Jaskier.” With that he turns around and makes his way down the street, leaving Jaskier to stand in front of the pub and watch him go with his broad shoulders and his magnificent bum in those black jeans.

Jaskier lets out a long sigh. That’s not how he pictured the night ending when he spotted Geralt at the bar. It’s a bit disappointing, like an anti-climax. But so far, that’s how it’s always been for him, his life hasn’t lucked out so far and maybe that’s the sign he should take. Maybe his music isn’t good enough to make it either, whether that’s in Beauclair or Posada. His YouTube channel and his Instagram also aren’t doing well, whenever he compares himself to the musicians who made it big. He might be a tad overdramatic because that’s just his nature, his way of dealing with things. And maybe he should think about it sober in the morning when he doesn’t feel like the world is going to crumble around him.

He’ll need a real banger to make it anyway, a song that’ll stick with the people and make them think of him whenever they listen to it. But so far Jaskier hasn’t had the right muse for it, hasn’t had something or someone to spark this creativity within him. And maybe it’s stupid, but he’d felt it, with Geralt, in the short hours they’ve been together. Felt the spark with him to inspire a thousand songs, making the words in Jaskier’s head fly around in chaos as they flood his mind, fighting over each other.

He has just started his brooding and contemplating his life choices when suddenly Geralt stands in front of him again, too close for strangers. Startled he looks up at the man and tilts his head to the side. “Uh. Yes?”

Geralt watches him for a moment. “Do you live far from here? And alone?”

“Oh.” Jaskier’s eyes widen a little. “Ohh. Yes. Uh. No. I don’t live far from here and alone. No one to bother us. Or hear us. Unless you want to murder me. Then there are plenty of people to hear us and bother us.”

Geralt laughs stiffly and shakes his head. “I don’t want to murder you, Jaskier,” he says and then leans in to kiss him, in the middle of the road, just like that. Jaskier melts against him, bringing his hand up against Geralt’s broad chest and he lets out a content sigh into the kiss as he lets Geralt pull him in, parting his lips to Geralt’s demanding tongue as he licks into his mouth. It’s a good kiss from a skilled kisser, something to weaken Jaskier’s knees and make him remember why he picked out Geralt in the first place.

Geralt pulls back after a moment, leaving Jaskier breathless and a little dazed. “Uh. Back to mine then, I guess,” he says and points behind him, the opposite directly to where Geralt was headed.

Geralt nods and places his hand in the small of Jaskier’s back. “Lead the way.”

Jaskier hardly suppresses a shiver. All of this is turning him on so much, he can’t even put it into words. Everything about Geralt screams to Jaskier, asking him to take, to be taken and to make the most of the night if he’s never going to see him again. It might sound silly, but Jaskier is a hopeless romantic and even though he has never met someone like Geralt before, he’s sure that this, them meeting tonight, is destiny. Maybe they aren’t meant for the big romance Jaskier has always dreamed of heaving. But they surely are supposed to fuck each other silly for one night.

They don’t talk much on the short walk back to Jaskier’s flat in the cold air of an autumn night. Luckily it had stopped raining some time ago and they don’t get drenched on the way back as they walk the small streets of a small town in the middle of nowhere. There is not a lot people can do in Posada and Jaskier still wonders what kind of business someone like Geralt has in a town like this. Maybe he’s just on the road to somewhere else and he’s stopped here for shelter and some entertainment. Whatever it is, Jaskier probably shouldn’t wonder too much. It’s nice to walk next to Geralt, to feel his large hand on the small of his back, warmth bleeding through the fabric of Jaskier’s jacket and shirt, like a promise of something more.

Jaskier unlocks the door to the stairs that lead up to his flat. Although flat might be a bit farfetched. It’s a small room above the fish and chip’s shop in town, not much to go by. But it’s dry and clean and it’s Jaskier’s own place. Plus it’s affordable with his small salary he makes from working at the shop downstairs and the money he makes from his occasional gigs. It’s not much, but Jaskier’s managed to make it for himself without relying on his family. Something he’s built for himself, entirely with his music and his skills to ask for a job. But that’s something he doesn’t want to think about now, not when he’s leading a stranger into his flat, someone to spend the night with. Now he just wants to focus on Geralt and his hands on his body and more.

As soon as the door is closed behind them, Geralt’s hands are back on Jaskier’s body and he helps him undress, the ripping sound of fabric followed by the shirt flying across the room. “Hey,” Jaskier complains weakly. “That was my favourite shirt.”

“You can have it fixed,” Geralt points out and then his lips are back on Jaskier’s and once more Jaskier melts against him, melting like warm butter in Geralt’s hands, his most beloved floral shirt forgotten for now.

As it turns out, Geralt isn’t only a skilled kisser but a skilled lover as well and all that Jaskier can do is moan and keen, arching into the sensual and surprisingly soft touches for such a broad man. Jaskier doesn’t want to go as far and call it the best night of his life but it really is. He moans out his pleasures into the night and it only seems to turn Geralt on more in return, drawing more sounds out of Jaskier as he keeps worshipping him, taking his time with him. Jaskier isn’t quite sure if one night stands are supposed to be this good and fulfilling because he’s surely never experienced them like this but he sure as hell isn’t going to complain about it, not when Geralt is thoroughly taking care of him, gentle whenever he needs to be but rough and fast and so good whenever Jaskier asks for it.

It lasts longer than Jaskier would have imagined it would but he doesn’t protest, at all, not when he’s lying on his back, spent and content, dirty and sweaty, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. He looks over to Geralt, his white hair sprawled out on the pillow, sweat making a few strands stick to his forehead and Jaskier can’t help but smile. He brings up one hand and carefully brushes the strands out of Geralt’s face.

“What are you doing?” Geralt asks and reaches out to capture Jaskier’s wrist with his hand, fingers circling around it, but not enough for it to hurt.

Jaskier shrugs. “Trying to be gentle, I guess?”

“Don’t.” Geralt puts down Jaskier’s hand again and places it on his own naked chest. “Go to sleep.”

Jaskier hums, letting Geralt do as he pleases. He doesn’t want to push if Geralt doesn’t want to be touched like this, then Jaskier will accept it, of course, even though he feels like wanting to give some of the gentleness back that Geralt has showered him in before. “Will you be there in the morning?” He asks quietly, his eyes already slipping closed and he doesn’t have much hope for an answer.

“No,” Geralt replies eventually, his voice quiet and Jaskier hums again, having figured as much. Sleep washes over him quickly anyway and he feels his body grow heavy as he slowly drifts off, warm and content and somehow feeling safer than ever.

\--

The next morning, when Jaskier wakes up later than usual, the spot on the bed next to him is empty and cold. Of course. He didn’t expect anything else, especially since Geralt had told him he wouldn’t be there in the morning. He hums and trails his fingers over the cotton of the sheets, letting his eyes slip closed again as the memories wash over him again, making him smile sleepily. Jaskier has had his fair share of one night stands before, he definitely has. But the night with Geralt was different, fulfilling and more than amazing.

If Jaskier is honest to himself it had also felt unlike anything else, a little bit like it was meant to be to meet Geralt in the pub last night and spent hours in the sheets with him. Maybe all his musings last night about destiny weren’t all due to the drinks he had. After all, Jaskier is still a hopeless romantic and maybe destiny has something to do with it.

Immediately Jaskier’s brain is flooded with images of Geralt’s body. As impressive as that might have been clothed, he had learned last night when they were in bed that it was also covered in scars. He can’t help but wonder once more who Geralt is and what business has brought him to Posada. Jaskier has never seen anyone with that many scars on their body before, never met anyone who was as tight-lipped as Geralt. Whatever made Geralt like that, he surely must have been through a lot. 

But does Jaskier want to know though? Probably not. It’s none of his business anyway. Geralt has been an exceptional shag and Jaskier wants to remember him as just that, not as someone he needs to be worried about, especially since he’s only met the man and spend one night with him, nothing more.

He lets out a soft laugh and shakes his head at himself. Now he’s getting silly, even for him. Hopeless romantic or not, Jaskier can’t bring himself to think something like that, or allow himself thoughts like that.

The night with Geralt has been fun and exactly what’s been missing from his life, something to spark the muse that has been sleeping within himself, the inspiration he needed to write songs that actually mean something to people and will entertain the masses, just as he always wanted when he set out to become a musician. His muse has been woken, he knows it has. There’s a tune humming in his mind and an itch in his fingers. He wants to bring the melody to life that is beating in his veins. He feels better than he has in a long time and even though it might sound silly, the night with Geralt has exactly been what Jaskier needed.

Maybe this is the sign he’s been waiting for that it’s the time to start moving to the big city, to try and make it in Beauclair. There are more possibilities for him there, more things to explore and more pubs to play at for him. After all, there is a big music scene thriving there, people enjoying the finer things in life along with wine and poetry. 

He’s been avoiding it because he’s been too afraid to try, too afraid that he wouldn’t make it, even though he has tried to fake his self-esteem. But meeting Geralt last night, actually managing to take him back home and having one of the best nights of Jaskier’s life, has shown him that he definitely can fake it until he makes it. He’ll just have to be a little daring and take the leap.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who left kudos, commented or reblogged or liked the post on tumblr. The support means a lot to me. Here is chapter 2. 
> 
> Again, [crownheartsteacup](http://crownheartsteacup.tumblr.com) is the best person in the world and she's the best for reading this over. <3

Jaskier groans as he runs a hand over his face and then trough his hair, trying to make it look a little more presentable. Normally he’s more of a morning person but the night has been short and right now he’s definitely not someone who should start the early shift in a coffee shop, serving business men, students and tourists on their early runs towards the best sights in town. Not that he can blame them. Beauclair is one of the most beautiful cities in all the lands, the promenade at the banks of the river that lead to the harbour is a sight for the gods, trees lining the streets and lovely flower beds blooming between them. He loves living there and working there, the river reminding him of home and the beauty of the city inspiring him in a way nothing ever could.

Right now he doesn’t feel inspired though. He feels sleep deprived and exhausted. It’s been another late night for him, another more or less successful gig at a small pub in Hauteville, the upper town of Beauclair. Not often does he get the chance to play there and when he was offered the gig he would have been stupid not to take it. Jaskier doesn’t even mind that it took him half an hour by subway to get there and even longer to get back once he was finished because night trains run at a different schedule than normally. He’s just glad they run in the nights at all. However, he loves gigs like these where people listen to his music and wealthy women regard him with seductive looks just because he’s sitting on the stage with a guitar on his lap. It’s something he was born to do and he’s willing to make a lot of sacrifices for it.

Eventually he’ll make it big, he knows it. At least he got quite a few tips out of it by some patrons who probably had pity on him being a poor musician trying to make it. There was a group of very attractive Cintran women who were quite charmed by his flirting and who ended up buying a few rounds for him after the show as well. So at least he didn’t have to go to bed with a dry throat, even if the thoughts of the early shift at the coffee shop prevented him from going back to their hotel with one or all of them.

Unfortunately it had also meant he’d come back empty handed into the flat he shared with Valdo, his roommate, musician as well, who Jaskier doesn’t stand for the life of him. He’s let him move in after his last roommate moved out to move in with his girlfriend and at first Jaskier didn’t really mind having Valdo around, not caring about him in any way other than having someone help with the rent. He thought it would be a good idea to have a fellow musician around, someone to bounce ideas off and to share knowledge with. He thought they’d get along great. But he quickly found out Valdo and he didn’t have anything in common but their principal love for music. Even though he’s learned that they differ quite a lot on what they define as proper music. He hates the man with all his heart and knows that Valdo’s feelings for him are mutual.

However, they need each other in order to survive because neither of them can afford living in a place like Beauclair on their own, especially this close to the harbour where the heart of the music industry is located. The red light district is thriving, of course, as it always is close to any harbour. But with the clubs there came live music and with the live music there came bands and artists and a lot of important and influential people. The rent is too high for the salary they make with their jobs or with the payment they earn from playing gigs. But Jaskier wouldn’t want to move anywhere else if he could. Especially, as rumour has it, the Beatles have played here, although the club where they used to go on stage don’t exist anymore. 

The only thing Jaskier is quite content about in his current life situation is that his job at the coffee shop pays him enough to pay for his rent and his other running costs and leaves him to put aside the money he earns with his gigs. Valdo needs two jobs in order to be able to pay for all of that and Jaskier doesn’t want to even hint at the idea that maybe he should start working at the coffee shop as well. It’s bad enough that he’s got to endure Valdo at home, he doesn’t need him around him all day at his job either.

Especially not if his boss is making his days worse by her existence as well.

It’s not that Jaskier hates Yennefer. Not really. He just doesn’t vibe with her. There’s something about her that terrifies him more than he wants to admit. She’s got an aura around her that sends a shiver down Jaskier’s spine and it’s not a pleasant one. He’d just love to run for the hills whenever she enters the room. And it’s not because Jaskier is jealous of her looks or success. He might be, a little bit, but they work in entirely different industries. That is not what terrifies him. There is something though, even if he can’t point his finger on it exactly.

But there’s one very good thing he can say about her: At least she was willing to give him a job when he needed one about a year ago, whether or not she liked him then. And for that Jaskier is eternally grateful.

“Well, look at that, daydreaming on the job.”

Jaskier looks up at the sound of the sharp voice and he hardly suppresses the roll of his eyes that starts to build up in him. Speaking of the devil, or so the saying goes. “Good morning to you, too, Yennefer,” he greets, trying to be nice because his mother raised him well and also because the woman signs his pay checks each month. “I have merely though about a new drink we should offer over the course of the last days of summer.”

Yennefer squints at him, her eyes narrows as she pushes her hands into her hips, looking at him disapprovingly. “What have you thought of?”

“Some iced tea with black currants, maybe? We had a similar one last year and customers had seemed to like it,” Jaskier replies, the best he can come up with under pressure. It doesn’t really help that summer is almost over, the leaves on the trees slowly turning yellow, orange and brown as the green leaves them. But at least the weather is still warm enough to warrant his suggestion of iced tea.

He can’t believe he’s already been working at the shop for over a year, time is flying by more than fast. It’s a little upsetting that he’s had so much time in Beauclair already and only managed to accomplish so little. He didn’t even find someone to spend his free time with. Sure, little flings here and there, but nothing ever lasted. It’s like that one night in Posada really cursed him for everyone else but Geralt, whom Jaskier still finds himself thinking about every now and then, even if he’s probably never going to see him again. It’s weird because Jaskier knows a thing or two about one night stands and he doesn’t know why the thought about Geralt doesn’t leave him. The night happened almost two years ago, autumn always reminding Jaskier about that as well and even though he managed to leave the small town behind him and chase his dreams in the big city he still doesn’t feel like he has really accomplished anything in his life, even though he’s trying so hard. It feels like something is stopping him from going all the way, from making it, which is frustrating him endlessly, especially when he’s working harder than ever on his musical career.

But there’s no time to brood over it, not when he’s stared down by his boss at the beginning of his shift.

Yennefer hums at that and then nods. “Yes, sounds good. I like it when you’ve got smart ideas. Not that it happens often,” she comments and Jaskier’s mouth quirks upwards.

“Such a comment coming from you, I’m honoured,” he replies and grins at her, even doing a little curtsy, making Yennefer let out a disapproving sound.

“Don’t get used to it. It’s the customers who like you, not me.”

Jaskier grins some more and waggles his eyebrows. “I appreciate the compliment, thank you Yennefer.” With that he turns back to the coffee maker he is primarily using during his shifts to clean it appropriately for when the customers arrive. He likes to be prepared when the first rush comes in, knowing exactly what kind of orders will get uttered. After all, he has worked there long enough to know his regulars. His hand slips of the steamer for the milk though, the whole thing breaking off the machine. It leaves him to stare at it in wonder for a moment until he realises too late that a gush of hot steam comes running out uncontrollably and he burns himself, hissing when the hot steam hits his skin. “Fuck.”

Immediately Yennefer is by his side, switching off the coffee machine to contain the steam once more. “You alright?” She asks and takes his hand in hers, no time to examine it closely before she yanks him with her towards the sink, holding his wrist under cold water.

Jaskier blinks. “Yeah, I’m alright,” he says and looks down at his hand, the skin red and angry under the spray of the cold water. “It’s just a light burn, I guess. Nothing bad.” He looks over to the coffee maker, then back to his hand that Yennefer has still a firm grip on while holding it under water.

“It’s the fourth time in the last months something breaks in the shop while you work. Something only you primarily use,” Yennefer comments and her violet eyes come to rest on Jaskier’s, making him frown at her.

“I swear I’m not breaking anything on purpose, Yennefer,” he says immediately and tries to put on his most honest look. “I swear. On my first number one hit.”

Yennefer’s stern look breaks at that, leaving her laughing instead. “You didn’t have a number one yet, Jaskier. And relax, I know. It’s probably just an unlucky number of coincidences that it happens in such a short amount of time,” she says and the look she uses to scan the room tells Jaskier that she doesn’t believe in unlucky coincidences. Again there’s that weird feeling of something about Yennefer that Jaskier can’t quite pinpoint, something he knows feels wrong but can’t put it into words.

He swallows and looks down at his hand again. He shouldn’t have such thoughts about her when she’s aiding his wounds, again. As Yennefer has pointed out, it’s not the first time he’s managed to break something at the shop and in the aftermath has managed to injure himself. He’s done it often enough, whether it was on the job or in private and every time it had happened at the coffee shop, Yennefer was kind enough to look after him. She even brought him soup the one time he got sick. Well, she didn’t exactly bring him some but suddenly a food delivery guy stood in front of his door, telling him that he’s supposed to deliver the soup along with a note that said “Get better soon. We need you at work. Y.”

“Can you get back to work or should I let you off for the rest of your shift, see if I can call someone else in?” Yennefer asks after a moment and switches off the cold water, examining Jaskier’s wrist along with him. It doesn’t look too bad and Jaskier can easily move it. It’s just a minor burn and it’s not even going to blister. As long as he can play the guitar later, he’ll be fine.

“I’ll be alright. We’ll put a bit of salve over it, wrap it up and it’ll be fine. Since Vilgefortz has called in sick I don’t think you’ve got enough other options. And not to mention, I want to play later at a pub, so it doesn’t really matter if I get off work now or not. I’ll put strain on it later anyway.” He laughs a little awkwardly at the look Yennefer gives him. “What? Did you expect me to cancel my gig? It could be my breakthrough!”

“You’d have to sing well enough to make it. Although, considering what’s on top of the charts these days... I’ll take it back. You can make it, Jaskier. I’m sure.”

Jaskier makes a disapproving noise. “You love my music!” He tells her while she gets the first aid kit and starts putting salve on his burn. “You’ve danced to it with Triss that one time!” Whenever Jaskier gets the chance to play at Triss’s pub Yennefer comes to his gigs as well. Jaskier isn’t quite sure if it’s due to Yennefer and Triss being friends or due to Yennefer liking his music. But either way, if Jaskier is asked Triss’s pub is the best pub in town, where the best concerts are played and the best people tend to hang out. But he can’t play there every night, not when Triss has a lot of other musicians lined up to play the small stage. So he’s got to make do and find other places to play at, even though it means he’ll have to go half an hour by subway through the city.

“I was drunk,” Yennefer comments and then starts wrapping his wrist.

“Still counts.”

“No. I just did it as courtesy to you. And Triss. She asked me,” Yennefer replies and then pats his wrist. “There, all wrapped up. Done.”

“Thank you.” Jaskier takes his right hand to examine his left and hums in appreciation. “You know, sometimes you’re not the mean hag you set out to be in the mornings.”

Yennefer laughs out loud at that, clearly amused by his antics. “Thank you Jaskier. I’ll take the compliment. Get back to work and I’ll have someone come in for the broken coffee machine.”

Jaskier makes a scene of bowing to her. “Yes ma’am,” he tells her and then goes back to work to start up the other coffee maker, just in time for the shop to open and the first group of customers to pile into the store. When he looks back at Yennefer again, she is watching him, something that looks like a worried expression on her face, which is something Jaskier hasn’t seen before. He smiles at her and nods before he turns his attention back to taking the customer’s orders.

The next time he looks over, Yennefer is gone and Jaskier shakes the weird feeling he’s got in his stomach to focus back on his work.

\--

Luckily for him the burn on his wrist really isn’t that bad and doesn’t need a lot of attention or treating, so when Jaskier gets off work in the afternoon he still has time to fit in a nap before his gig at the pub starts. Just to be sure he puts on a fresh bandage on his wrist and then grabs his guitar case and leaves the flat, luckily not having seen Valdo for today. Sometimes the small victories count and make a day, Jaskier thinks as he makes his way towards the subway station.

It’s not that he hates his life or where this is going. He has just pictured it to be a little differently by now. With moving to the big city and trying to make it on social media, he had gotten his hopes up to make it big sooner than later. Sure, he’s got a reasonable amount of clicks and he’s started to make some money with his videos and he can also save the money of the gigs he’s playing. But it’s still not what he’s imagined for himself. Jaskier wants it all, he wants to entertain the masses and have that one song people will remember him by, the one thing that’ll go down in history and make him immortal.

He places his card on the reader and pushes his way past the barricades, careful with his guitar as he makes his way down the escalators towards the Northern line. While he likes his life, or at least certain aspects of it, there is still something missing from it, something else besides fame and glory he wants. It’s even sillier than that. Love.

Jaskier is a simple man. He wants to be loved and to love back. And not just by the masses for his music, but he wants it for his own personal life. He wants that one person he can love with all his heart, the one person he can write all his love songs about. There is so much he’s got to give, so many feelings to feel and to make people feel good about themselves. He’s often tried and often failed and there’s never that one person whom he can give himself to completely. It might be foolish but Jaskier can’t help it. The heart wants what it wants. Or whom. Even though Jaskier doesn’t dare to think about it.

He’s only met Geralt once in his life and that’s been almost two years ago, coming this autumn. It was one night in Posada, a small town full of strangers and he’s pretty sure Geralt doesn’t even remember someone like him. A man like Geralt surely travels a lot and meets a lot of strangers he’ll take back to his room for the night. Not that Jaskier can blame him. There are certain aspects of fun to it, Jaskier is no stranger to it after all and has often enough done it himself. But love, that’s deeper and more meaningful. It’s beautiful and it can hurt and Jaskier wants it all. Preferably with Geralt, but since he can’t have him, won’t even ever see him again, Jaskier will settle for the next best thing: His music. That, and maybe composing another song or two about the stranger in the night who swept him off his feet. The people seem to like those songs best. So he’ll just keep doing that until he’ll meet someone else with whom he falls in love with as quickly and as hard and can never forget for the rest of his life.

\--

His gig goes well and Jaskier smiles proudly at that applause he gets. He loves it when he’s the centre of attention and people applaud him and his music, especially in this part of town. He thrives off it and it gives him an ego boost to survive until his next gig. This time he’s managed to score a second gig so close after the first, even though the establishment is not what he’s normally used to, since this whole part of town is a bit more classy and sophisticated than the cosy pubs at the harbour. 

He hangs out with a few people after the gig but then calls it a night quite soon. After all, he’s got the early shift at the coffee shop the next day again and he doesn’t want to be a bad employee, especially since he’s broken the coffee maker today. Since it’s not the first time something broke while Jaskier used it, he wants to make sure he’ll work twice as hard to make up for it, not wanting to be on Yennefer’s bad side. Even though he’s never fully experienced her wrath on his own skin, he really doesn’t want to find out how she’ll be towards him when she’s angry with him.

Jaskier definitely has an unfortunate habit of breaking things. He didn’t know he was this clumsy before he started working at Yennefer’s shop, but in the last year Jaskier has been working for her, especially in the last few months, at least the four things Yennefer mentioned broke or went to shit because of him or because he was involved. Maybe even more she doesn’t even know of but he’s not going to mention that to her. That time one of the shelves gave in and almost crushed him with the mugs that were lined up on top of it was the closest he’s come to actually dying, the rest were just minor accidents and coincidences, although Jaskier has to admit it’s rather strange how these happen to take place whenever he is around. Maybe he is cursed or has some magnetic pull for bad luck.

On his way back home when he gets on the subway he manages to hit his head and squints at the door, rubbing the back of his head with the hand that’s not holding the guitar case. He’s not as tall as some of his friends and usually he never manages to do that while boarding the train, always on the lookout of tight spaces and low ceilings. Today is just his lucky day, as it seems. He lets out a sigh and sits down, hugging his guitar close to him. At least he’s never managed to break her, whatever stupidity he’s managed to get himself into, he’s always taken good care of his guitar. Not only does he hold it dear to his heart because it’s been his first guitar but also because his grandmother gifted it to him when he first told her he wanted to become a musician.

Luckily for him, Valdo is still out when Jaskier gets home and so he quickly gets ready for bed, trying to catch as much of the needed sleep as possible. He doesn’t dream these days, at least he can’t remember most of the time and if he does, usually Geralt’s face and his eyes and his body haunt him, making Jaskier wake up in cold sweat. It’s been getting worse over the last few weeks and he can’t quite pinpoint why exactly, especially since he hasn’t seen Geralt since their encounter and the chances of seeing him again in a town like Beauclair are next to nothing. There are probably close to 3,000 coffee shops and cafes in the city alone. Jaskier highly doubts that even on the off-chance that he’ll even be in the town in the first place, Geralt would walk into the one coffee shop he works at the next day to sweep him off his feet to ride off into the sunset with him.

As soon as his head hits the pillow he falls into a dreamless sleep almost immediately.

\--

When he walks into the coffee shop the next morning, bright and early, to start his shift, he doesn’t expect to see Yennefer there again. Usually she only comes in early once a week to check on everything in the shop, leaving the rest to Jaskier. After all, he’s managed to work himself up to assistant store manager in the course over a year. “Yennefer,” he greets her. “Good morning. To what do I owe you the pleasure of seeing you first thing in the morning twice in a row?”

Yennefer gives him a look that tells Jaskier just how much of a morning person she is and gestures towards the door, the doorbell jingling in the moment. “I’m here to welcome your new colleague,” she says and when Jaskier turns around to look at the newcomer, he doesn’t believe his eyes.

“Geralt?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit mean to cut off here, I guess. But it wasn't a surprise that he'd meet Geralt again. I mean, I did put that in the summary, haha.   
> Anyway. I'd love to know what you guys think of this? 
> 
> Also, if you can guess which cities I used as inspiration for my version of Beauclair you'll get a virtual cookie.   
> Of course, I had the stills from the game in mind. But since this is a modern version, I used three other cities as inspiration for my own little version.   
> I'll give you a few hints:   
> * all three cities are located in Europe  
> * one's usually described as the city of love (and it's kind of hilly and artsy)   
> * one's got the oldest subway network in the world (and it's got a very active music scene)  
> * one's got a big harbour (and the Beatles did play in a small club at the very beginning of their career in that town).
> 
> So, I'd love to read some guesses. :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, I’m sure Geralt can try and be a bit nicer to customers,” Yennefer comments and looks over to Geralt, the two of them having another silent conversation just with their eyes and Jaskier, slightly impressed, tilts his head to the side, watching them curiously.
> 
> “I’ll try to be nicer,” Geralt says eventually and looks at Jaskier, obviously trying for something that should resemble a smile, even though it looks a little more like he’s in pain.
> 
> Jaskier squints at him. “That’s marvellous,” he says and sighs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes chapter 3. 
> 
> Again, [crownheartsteacup](http://crownheartsteacup.tumblr.com) is the best person in the world and she's the best for reading this over. <3

“Geralt?” Jaskier asks again, just to make sure, blinking at the white hair and the amber eyes before his gaze drags over Geralt’s body, taking in the broad shoulders and chest, the muscular thighs hidden under black jeans. Geralt and his dress style hasn’t changed since the last time they have seen each other and Jaskier can’t help but stare. He looks good.

“Jaskier.” Geralt nods at him, making Jaskier’s eyes snap up to Geralt’s once more, as he watches him make his way into the room. “It’s good to see you. Hello Yennefer.”

“You know each other?” She asks, clearly surprised by that.

“We’ve met. In Posada. Jaskier played the guitar in a pub,” Geralt explains and Jaskier continues to stare at him. He’s not sure he’s heard Geralt use that many words in a sentence before, not even when they were spending the night together and he’s done his fair share of dirty talk.

“Uh, yes,” he manages unintelligently and looks back to Yennefer who eyes them with curiosity.

“Interesting,” she says and hums, her gaze flicking back and forth between them as he tries to assess the situation. Again Jaskier feels a little uneasy under her watchful gaze and he barely manages not to shift too much. He clears his throat. “Anyway. As much as I’d love to dwell into how you two have met and how extraordinarily boring the details would be seeing as it involves Jaskier’s singing, we’re here to work. So get your asses over here and get into the aprons.”

Geralt hardly seems impressed by it as he walks over to Yennefer and Jaskier follows suit, the two of them getting into their work clothes. Jaskier shoots Geralt a look from time to time, just out of the corner of his eyes. He still looks as handsome as he remembers him. It might be silly, after all, it’s been only two years and Jaskier hasn’t changed a lot himself, is still wearing the same haircut and still dresses in the most colourful and floral shirts he can find, so it’s no wonder that Geralt hasn’t either. It’s fascinating, to run into Geralt again, like this, here, of all places, and with Geralt even coming to work here as his colleague, especially considering his maudlin thoughts from last night about never getting to see him again. Apparently destiny has more things lined up for them, after all Jaskier hadn’t thought they’d meet again and if they did, definitely not like this. Geralt doesn’t look like someone who would start working in a coffee shop.

“So... you’re going to work here now?” Jaskier asks eventually and Geralt grunts as answer, making Jaskier sigh softly. Again, back to using no words at all, he tries very hard not to feel insulted as he has just witnessed that Geralt is actually capable of using more words than five in a sentence. “I never pictured you as the barista type. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not judging. It’s a good job that pays good money. But you know... with your physique and all.” He gestures up and down, trying to emphasise what he means.

Geralt makes another sound and raises his eyebrow, shooting Jaskier a look. “I’ve been thinking about a new orientation for a while,” he says, his voice dark and somehow Jaskier has the feeling Geralt isn’t really happy about his new job. Or his co-worker. He isn’t quite sure about which.

Well, a little challenge hasn’t stopped Jaskier before and he’s determined to become Geralt’s friend, now that they’ll be working together. Maybe, if he plays his cards right, something more can spark out of it, after all, they have tumbled into the sheets together before, but Jaskier doesn’t dare to think about that for now, not when Geralt seems quite disinterested in mentioning that, and him in general. “It’s a good job. You should be good with people though. And a morning person. I’m not sure you’re either.”

“Hm.” Geralt shoots Jaskier another dark look, definitely confirming his thoughts. “I’ll adjust.”

Jaskier hums at that as well, although his tone of voice definitely sounds a lot lighter than Geralt’s. “Oh, I’m sure. It’ll be great. We’ll be a great team, you and I,” he announces and decides to simply go for it, just wraps his arm around Geralt’s shoulders, squeezing himself against his side. He’s always been a tactile person. As reaction Geralt grunts again but doesn’t say anything. At least he doesn’t push Jaskier off him, so Jaskier counts it as a win.

“Oh, you’re adorable,” Yennefer comments, chuckling, as she comes to stand in front of them. “It was definitely a good decision to hire you, Geralt.”

The look Geralt gives her is as dark as it gets and Jaskier tilts his head to the side, watching the two of them closely. “Oh, so... you and you?” He lets his arm slide off of Geralt’s broad shoulders and gestures between Yennefer and Geralt. “There’s history there?”

Yennefer chuckles but it’s Geralt who replies: “We used to work together.”

“Oh?” Jaskier looks over to Yennefer again. He’s always been curious about what his boss had done before she opened up a coffee shop, considering she doesn’t really strike him as a person to have worked as a barrister herself but he’s never dared to ask, mostly because Yennefer is quite tight-lipped about anything personal and Jaskier does feel a little bit terrified of her on top of that. “I didn’t know that.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Yennefer says and laughs softly. “And we didn’t exactly work together. It was more like a mutual project we had to work on.”

Geralt makes a sound that probably is supposed to sound like a laugh. “That’s one way of putting it. It was quite a ride,” he agrees and they look at each other for a moment, sharing a silent conversation as both of them remember their history together and suddenly it clicks for Jaskier.

“Ohhh.” He nods and raises his eyebrows. “I _see_. There’s _history_ there.”

Yennefer laughs and shrugs, clearly unimpressed by that. “We’re friends, Jaskier. Not that it’s any of your business.” But with the way she says it, it sounds like it should be Jaskier’s business. Not that he minds.

He turns back to Geralt and looks up at him. “So... you’re single?”

Geralt gives him a look that Jaskier can’t quite interpret just yet, whether or not Geralt is impressed by the boldness of his question. Then he grunts before he turns away from him again, leaving Jaskier to push out his chest and shake his hair out of his forehead.

He’s definitely going to accept a challenge when he sees one and especially since he’s had Geralt before he feels himself more and more drawn to him, a shag he couldn’t forget until now. It’s not just that Jaskier wants him for another night in his bed, although he wouldn’t say no to that either. He wouldn’t mind a little more with the tight-lipped man. There is something about him, something Jaskier can’t put his finger on. But he feels drawn to Geralt, wants to be in his life and wants to make him smile, make him laugh and maybe even make him love. Jaskier wants it all, and somehow, Jaskier has the feeling that he’s going to get it all.

Either way, he’s not going to give up, only when Geralt explicitly tells him he doesn’t want Jaskier’s advances because while Jaskier is determined, he’s also not a dick and he respects people’s wishes and when they tell him No.

Yennefer leans close to him and Jaskier almost jumps at that. “He’s single,” she tells him and winks, making Jaskier frown.

“Thank you,” he answers slowly and watches her with a confused look, not quite sure what her business is in all of this. Especially since the two of them seem to have a rather interesting past, considering the way they look at each other. There’s definitely something afoot here, even though Jaskier can’t quite find the words to describe it.

Maybe they’ve had a hot night somewhere while working on their mysterious project, maybe it was a little like the night Jaskier had with Geralt himself. He doesn’t know, but he’s determined to find out, especially the part about their pasts that connect them. Yennefer has been mysterious from the moment Jaskier has met her and Geralt isn’t inferior to her in any way. Maybe he’s even a little more mysterious than her because he just talks less than her and he gives away a lot of vibes Jaskier can’t quite place yet. They’re not as dark as Yennefer’s, but they are different and leave Jaskier curious to what more is to Geralt.

Yennefer leans back and smiles at him and then shoos him off to get to work, letting him explain Geralt how to use the coffee maker and what to do as a barista. His favourite coffee machine has already been repaired, the service quick and efficient and luckily not a lot had to be replaced, leaving Jaskier to explain Geralt how to use it efficiently.

As it turns out, Geralt is a quick learner, taking in the tasks quickly but entirely useless at dealing with customers. Just as Jaskier expected. He scares them more than he helps, making grown men flinch whenever he takes an order. Eventually, Jaskier has pity on him.

“What do you want?” He growls at a business man that is next in line and the man swallows, as if he’s under interrogation.

“Uh...”

Jaskier jumps to Geralt’s side almost immediately and grabs him by the shoulders, laughing almost hysterically. “Don’t mind him,” he tells the customer. “He’s new and he’s got out on the wrong side of the bed this morning.” He waves his left hand around and then gives Geralt a push. “Make the coffee. Don’t interact with customers. And smile.”

The look Geralt gives him is dark and anything but happy and Jaskier glares back because this is his job and he lives of the tips the customers leave him. He’s good at his job and he won’t let someone like Geralt ruin this for him. “ _Go_ ,” Jaskier emphasises and gives Geralt another push into the direction of the coffee maker.

This time Geralt goes without so much of a word or a look. He does seem a little more in his element behind the coffee machine, hidden away from direct contact with the customers, and Jaskier has to admit that he’s not bad at making coffee either. He takes the orders Jaskier gives him and even though he’s not the fastest yet, he still manages not to mix up too many orders and the customers don’t complain about the taste either.

Jaskier isn’t sure they don’t complain because the coffee isn’t bad or because they don’t dare to because of Geralt behind the counter, but either way, he counts the day as win because there still are a few tips from his favourite customers and it leaves him satisfied with how the day turned out. 

When it’s the afternoon and the next shifts takes over, he lets out a long, deep breath, shooting Yennefer a look, putting everything in his power into it to will her out of hiring Geralt for good. No matter how much Jaskier likes the man and wants to get to know him and to bed him, he’s not going to let him ruin a perfectly good job for him. After all, Jaskier needs the money and he’s not going to take on another job because Geralt can’t be nice to strangers.

Yennefer looks amused even though she should be worried about the future of her coffee shop if Geralt should end up working here. “That wasn’t as bad as I expected,” she comments and Geralt gives her a look.

“It was fun,” he tells her darkly and Yennefer laughs.

“Yeah, I could see that,” she replies and turns to Jaskier. “What do you think?”

“Well, as much as I like him and as much as he’s a delight to work with in the morning with his cheerfulness and the smiles,” Jaskier starts and Geralt makes a sound next to him that’s definitely not a cheerful laugh. “Don’t be offended by this, Geralt, but... Yennefer. No. No, no, no, no. Absolutely not. No. He’s going to murder the tip rate and we live off of it. It makes half my income. I can’t survive without any tips.”

“Oh, I’m sure Geralt can try and be a bit nicer to customers,” Yennefer comments and looks over to Geralt, the two of them having another silent conversation just with their eyes and Jaskier, slightly impressed, tilts his head to the side, watching them curiously.

“I’ll try to be nicer,” Geralt says eventually and looks at Jaskier, obviously trying for something that should resemble a smile, even though it looks a little more like he’s in pain.

Jaskier squints at him. “That’s marvellous,” he says and sighs because there’s hardly anything he can do about it. If Yennefer wants him to work at the coffee shop, then he’s going to work there, especially since he’s apparently an old acquaintance of hers and it seems like he needs the job. Since she’s the boss she gets to decide who’s going to work at the shop and if she wants him there, he’ll work there. And Jaskier, as egocentric and self-absorbed he pretends to be, knows to take a step back when it’s needed. He recognises a man in need when he sees one and he knows that Geralt will be a great addition to the team, even though it’s going to take a lot of work to get him to a point where he actually provides input for the tip jar. “We’ll make this work.” He tells them both, giving them his most optimistic smile.

“That’s the spirit.” Yennefer smirks and somehow she looks a little bit diabolic with the way she’s eying them. Jaskier isn’t quite sure if his life is going to get better or worse.

\--

That evening when Jaskier has his gig at Triss’s pub, Geralt shows up as well and Jaskier is surprised to see him there. He watches him make his way over to the bar and order a beer before he settles and turns around, his gaze coming to meet Jaskier’s on the stage.

It’s so intense Jaskier almost misses a line. But he still manages to catch himself, shifting his gaze away from Geralt to the wall and continues to sing, his voice steady and his fingers working his guitar well.

“We don’t see each other for two years and now we don’t only work together but you stalk me at my gigs?” Jaskier asks and laughs as he slides onto the barstool next to Geralt. “I don’t know whether I should feel flattered or terrified.”

“The pub is close by to the place I’m staying at. I thought I’d give it a try, Yen recommended it,” Geralt replies. “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”

Jaskier smiles, can’t help it and leans in to nudge his shoulder against Geralt’s. “Did you like my performance then?” 

“You’ve gotten a bit better,” Geralt replies and shoots him a sideways glance, his lips quirking up into a slight smile.

“Oh, that’s a compliment I take,” Jaskier says and laughs. “I have become better. Not just a bit, a lot. So thank you, Geralt.”

Geralt nods and then takes a sip of his beer. “Do you play here often?” He asks, obviously trying to make casual conversation.

“Yeah. At least once a week, every Thursday and sometimes more if Triss lets me. It’s my local pub. I know Triss, the owner. She’s a sweetheart. Doesn’t take shit, I swear, but that makes her even more amazing. Let’s me play here more often than others and I get a little bit of extra money out of it for my performances. Also a few followers on my social media.” Jaskier laughs. Triss is a very charming and incredibly nice and attractive woman. Jaskier could wax poetics about her. He’s tried, Triss had only laughed in his face and told him that his advances and flirting were in vain because she is in a happy relationship. Up until this day Jaskier hasn’t figured out whom she’s involved with but he’s vowed to himself that he’ll figure it out. Not because he wants to be with her, she’s made it clear that she doesn’t want that and Jaskier is a man of principle and respect. He respects that a lot. But just out of curiosity.

“So it’s still your dream to become a musician?” Geralt continues to ask, turning his head to watch Jaskier closely, amber eyes boring into his. It’s the first time Geralt is actually showing interest in Jaskier’s life and Jaskier isn’t quite sure whether that is now because they are working together and managed to run into each other tonight or if Geralt has a general interest of getting to know him.

Jaskier shrugs. “I guess so? I haven’t really thought about it. While I’m not bad at other things, this is the thing I’m really good at. I want to be known and to be remembered, for my songs and my lyrics. And I want to make people happy. So yeah, I guess.”

“Hm.” Geralt nods again and takes another sip of his beer, a few moments of silence stretching between them. But it’s not uncomfortable or anything, it feels rather nice. Jaskier likes the way Geralt’s presence next to him makes him feel safe, even though there is no justified reason for that. But there is something about him, in contrary to Yennefer, that makes Jaskier feel good about himself and secure. “It’s a good trait. Wanting to make people happy,” Geralt finally says and looks back at him. “You’re a good man, Jaskier.”

“Thank you,” Jaskier answers, almost a little taken aback by the sudden compliment. He hadn’t thought Geralt would talk this much with him, since he didn’t the first time they met. But Jaskier isn’t going to complain, not when he gets to spend time with him outside of work. After all, he’s set it in his mind that he wants to be friends with Geralt, and he’s definitely going to make sure they will. “You’re always welcome to watch more of my performances. We should follow each other on Instagram!”

“I don’t have Instagram,” Geralt replies and raises an eyebrow.

“What? Why not?” Jaskier exclaims. “It would be perfect for you. You could upload nice selfies and photos of landscapes. Or whatever it is that interests you?”

“I travel a lot for work,” Geralt says. “Showing my face on the internet is not a good thing in my job.”

“Well, you’re a barista now. You’ll have to get used to people looking at your face,” Jaskier tells him and pats Geralt’s back, but suddenly it dawns on him that the opportunity has arisen for him to ask about Geralt’s job, or former career, he’s not quite sure. “So, what do you do then? Or did you do? Since you’re working for Yennefer now?”

“The job at the coffee shop is just temporary,” Geralt replies gruffly. “I’ll have to get back to my other job after that. I’ve got projects to finish. Before I can find to do something else for good.”

“Oh, so you’re in project management?” Jaskier asks, curiously.

“Something like that.”

“Interesting.” Jaskier hums and nods, watching Geralt closely. Of course he can’t forget the scars he’s seen on Geralt’s body the night they slept together. Each of them tells a story that Jaskier would like to hear, something he wants to know about Geralt. Jaskier isn’t stupid. He knows what they could mean. A man with Geralt’s physique has either a military history or is still working in a job like that. Jaskier doesn’t have a lot of prejudices but he’s quite certain that a project manager in something like marketing doesn’t look like Geralt. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“But you could. Talk to me, if you wanted to. I’m a good listener, I swear,” Jaskier says and shuffles closer to him. “I can shut up, if you want me to, as well.”

“I want that, yes.”

“It’s an important task, to listen. I know that. Listening and understanding. I think I’ve mastered that. Although I don’t think you can mastered in that.”

“Jaskier.”

“I don’t think I could have taken any classes in that. Could be though. I’ll have to ask at Oxford.”

“Jaskier.”

“Anyway, I know. It’s important to listen, as I said. I’m really good at it. Or at least, I can be. I can try really hard.”

“Jaskier!”

Jaskier looks up at the angry sound of Geralt’s voice and he blinks at him. “Sorry,” he says and waves his hand at him. “I tend to ramble a lot. I swear I can stop. Anytime.”

Geralt lets out a long sigh and empties his pint before he slides off the barstool. “I’ll see you tomorrow at work. Good night, Jaskier.” With that, he leaves the pub, leaving Jaskier alone at the bar to look after him, his guitar resting in her case next to his stool.

It’ll be a long, hard road to be friends with Geralt. But Jaskier will try his best and make the most of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're interested: [I made a manip on tumblr](https://sassypopstar.tumblr.com/post/622000918423109634).


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very big thank you goes to [crownheartsteacup](http://crownheartsteacup.tumblr.com) again, for reading this over. <3

The next few days are technically the same, Jaskier meets Geralt at the coffee shop for his shifts – he’s always there, whether it’s the early shift or a later one. Either way, when Jaskier’s got to work, Geralt is there with him and while it’s fun for Jaskier on the one hand, it also is a little bit exhausting on the other because Geralt still isn’t talking a lot and while Jaskier is used to talking all the time, he isn’t quite sure if he can keep it up. He’s somehow got the feeling that Yennefer is doing it on purpose, to make Jaskier the only one who shows Geralt the ropes so to speak, but maybe it’s because she trusts him the most, seeing as he is the assistant store manager.

At least Geralt is a little less gruff towards the customers, scaring them a little less, even though he’s still staring at them when Jaskier talks to them, or rather flirts with them for a little bit of tip. “Thank you so much,” he says to a very generous tip of a woman and flashes her a brilliant smile before he hands the latte she ordered to her and watches her go with a smile.

When the woman looks back over her shoulder as she leaves the shop and tosses her hair over her shoulder Geralt lets out a disapproving huff at that.

Jaskier sighs and turns around, fixing him with his gaze. “Yes, Geralt? Is there something you might want to offer to the conversation?”

Geralt grunts, obviously not quite willing to say anything and gives Jaskier a dark look. “You’re whoring yourself for some tip money.”

“Oh, is that what we’re calling it?” Jaskier laughs and shakes his head. “I’d rather put it like this: I’m merely making the people feel good and welcome so they leave a little bit of extra money for me, and for you as well, if you ‘d care to recall that. I am not only willing to share with you, since it’s our shift, and I’m even willing to work twice as hard, just to make sure you get fed as well.”

“I’m not starving, Jaskier.”

“Well, I can see that.” Jaskier reaches out and pokes Geralt’s arm. “When do you even find time to go to the gym to train all of this? These muscles don’t come out of nowhere. Believe me, I’ve tried. I’m really not good at building muscles, especially not in my arms. My thighs though? Brilliant. Arms? Nah. They can hold a guitar, but that’s it.”

Geralt stares at him, head slightly tilted, which Jaskier can’t interpret quite yet. It could be a good sign, it could be him just at a loss of words or it could even be him plotting Jaskier’s murder. Either way, Geralt’s eyes bore into him and Jaskier smiles back, as sweetly as he can manage and then dances around Geralt.

“I’m going to get some supplies. You stay here and smile and be nice for the customers. Don’t forget to smile. And don’t be scary.” Jaskier points his finger into Geralt’s face. “I mean it. My living depends on it. Half the money I make each month comes from my tips. So be nice.”

It earns him another grunt, but this time it doesn’t sound as gruff as before and Jaskier counts it as win. It means that Geralt is starting to understand what it all means to Jaskier, how important it is for him to have this job. He still doesn’t know what Geralt has been doing for a living before he started this job, with how extraordinarily mysterious he is being, but Jaskier definitely will find out one day. Until then, Geralt will have to learn how to be a barista and how to live off of tip money on top of his normal salary. Or he will have to leave again and Jaskier definitely doesn’t want that, despite his complaints after the first shift. Of course, Yennefer is the one to decide that and since she pays them well and there are baristas out there who earn the bare minimum, he’s not going to say a word. Despite what Jaskier might feel towards her, the uneasiness and the queasy feeling Jaskier has whenever he looks at her or she looks at him, he still likes her and he’s glad that Yennefer is his boss.

Jaskier finally flashes Geralt another smile and then turns around, making his way back past Yennefer’s office towards the extra supply room. Normally the supplies they need on a daily basis are stashed in the small room next to the loos but for bigger supplies such as back-up packages of napkins and things they don’t need as regularly, they have them stashed in the extra room and as assistant store manager Jaskier has the authority and the duty to check over the supplies and order extras, if needed.

Whenever he’s not alone in the shop and the business has quieted down a little he takes a list and a ladder and goes to check on what needs to be ordered soon in order for them to manage the following weeks so they never come into some sort of shortage. He takes great pride in being organised like that and the fact that he is and none of his co-workers are is probably what got him the job in the first place.

Humming to himself Jaskier grabs the ladder and puts it up, stepping up on the first rung. He’s in an exceptionally good mood today, even more than normally. Maybe it’s the fact that the sun is out despite the weather forecast saying something completely different. Maybe it’s just the fact that Jaskier got a good night’s sleep for a change, no dreams haunting him. It might be due to the fact that Geralt seems to be slowly warming up to him, or warming up to the job in general, Jaskier isn’t sure. However, he loves it, that they are talking quite a lot and getting on better. Maybe it’s a mixture of everything. But Jaskier is sure that he’s going to break through Geralt’s walls eventually and that he’ll be able to make him warm up to him.

They are definitely going to need more napkins, seeing as they are on their last pack. Jaskier makes a note on his list and then checks on the rest of the supplies. He gets on fairly quickly, soon climbing another rung of the ladder.

When he reaches the top one there is a creaking sound and suddenly the ladder gives away under Jaskier’s feet, sending him crashing down with a yelp. He tries to scramble for something to hold onto, grabbing the pack of napkins to send it flying down with him and then Jaskier drops awkwardly onto his bum, making him wince as a stinging pain flashes up his spine, starting out from his tailbone. “Fuck!”

“Jaskier!” Geralt calls out for him and in only a moment later the tall and broad man stands in the doorway of the small storage room, staring down at Jaskier and there is something like worry shining on his face. “Are you alright?” He pushes forward and kneels down next to Jaskier, holding out his hand for him to steady him on his back, his eyes scanning the room before they come to rest on Jaskier again.

Jaskier nods. “Yeah.” He frowns and shakes his head, trying to shake the pain away. Only now he realises Geralt’s broad hand is still on his back and the heat of his touch is seeping through Jaskier’s work shirt, making him feel hotter than it’s called for in such a situation. “The ladder... I don’t know, I stepped on the top rung and then it sort of broke away under me? Must have been a little brittle, the old wooden thing.”

“Hm.” Geralt rubs over his back and then moves over to the ladder to examine it, actually picking up the broken pieces to inspect them, the furrow between his brows deepening. “Must be,” he agrees eventually and looks back at Jaskier before he holds out his hand. “C’mon, I’ll make you a tea.”

Jaskier laughs softly and then winces when Geralt pulls him to his feet. “You’ve learned well, Geralt,” he tells him teasingly and rubs over his lower back as he follows Geralt out of the room, vowing to himself that he’ll clean this up later and tell Yennefer about the accident, letting her know that they’ll need a new ladder for the supply room. “At least I didn’t hurt my hands. That would have been a tragedy. After all, I’m supposed to play tonight.”

Geralt lets out another hum and watches him closely, eyes dropping to his hand as if he’s checking he’s saying the truth. “Is there anyone who might have an interest in you hurting your hands?” He asks as he guides Jaskier back into the shop room, letting him sit down on one of the bar stools which he uses as an opportunity to push out his bum so he doesn’t apply too much pressure on his tailbone.

“Not really?” Jaskier asks back and then laughs. “Although, my roommate Valdo. He might be interested in that. He keeps saying that he hates my music and I’d be better off without playing anything at all.”

Geralt lets out a low rumble in his throat as he prepares the tea for Jaskier and then puts it in front of him. “Did he ever do anything to make you think that he would?”

“What? Valdo? No.” Jaskier laughs again and wraps his hands around the mug Geralt places in front of him, warming his hands a little while he lets the tea brew. “He’s all talk but no action, I swear. I may not like the man, but he definitely can’t hurt a fly. He’s too stupid for that anyway.” No matter how much Jaskier hates Valdo, and hate is a strong word he doesn’t use lightly, he knows that there is nothing Valdo could do that would actually hurt him. 

Geralt watches him closely and Jaskier isn’t quite sure if there is worry on his face or curiosity and it makes him shift uneasily on his chair, causing him to wince softly at the motion. That in turn makes Geralt take another step forward. “You probably shouldn’t work anymore today.”

“Don’t be stupid. It’s just a bruise. Nothing more. I’ll finish my shift and tonight I’ll play at the pub.” Jaskier laughs softly. “Triss said something about a lot of people coming in, maybe even important people. So. My chance. I might even have a new song coming. I’m not sure about it, but maybe I’ll try it out tonight. Get a few more followers on Instagram and YouTube.”

Geralt doesn’t seem too impressed by that. He just raises and eyebrow and watches Jaskier closely, carefully pushing the mug with tea closer to him.

“You should come.” Jaskier smiles at him and dutifully takes a sip of his tea.

“Music isn’t really my... thing,” Geralt replies.

“I don’t doubt that, big guy.” Jaskier laughs and looks him up and down. “But you liked the other times I played, didn’t you?” When Geralt doesn’t answer Jaskier smiles even wider at that. “I’ll text you the time. Oh... I might need your number for that.”

He knows it’s not his subtlest move – Jaskier doesn’t think he’s ever been subtly flirting in his life anyway – especially considering that Geralt doesn’t seem too impressed. “You might,” he agrees after a moment and holds out his hand. Immediately Jaskier scrambles up to fish his phone out of his right front pocket. At least he didn’t manage to fall on that. He’d never get over crushing his new iPhone as it was an investment that took him quite a while to think about. He hands it to Geralt and smiles, watching as Geralt types in a number and then calls it, before he hands back his phone to Jaskier, then gets out his own.

Jaskier looks down at the contact Geralt has put in. “Well, Geralt of Rivia, I’m quite pleased to meet you,” he says and opens the messages app to send him the details of his gig that night.

“We have met before,” Geralt points out and stuffs his phone away.

“Oh bugger off. You know how I meant that,” Jaskier complains and there is something similar to a smile tugging Geralt’s lips upwards and it makes Jaskier’s stomach flutter when he sees it, knowing he’s the cause for it.

The moment is broken by the bell above the door jingling as a group of customers enters the shop. Geralt turns away from him, turning his attention towards them instead. He stares at them, towering behind the register. “What can I get you?” He asks and it doesn’t sound as gruff anymore and maybe that’s the closest thing Geralt will ever be to customer-friendly. Jaskier shouldn’t complain about it.

\--

“If I didn’t know better I’d think you’re following me,” he tells Geralt that night as he sits down next to him on the barstool and orders a beer for himself.

Geralt raises an eyebrow at that and turns his head to look at Jaskier. “If I were following you, you wouldn’t notice. And you invited me.”

Jaskier hums. “Unimportant details,” he chirps and watches him. “You’ve got all that secret agent vibe about you. Like MI6. Although you’re not a real James Bond. At least not how I picture James Bond. You’re not what I’d call inconspicuous. Like, you’re attracting so much attention just by sitting here. People are staring at you. Aren’t secret agents supposed to be... not attracting attention?”

“It’s not how it is in the movies, Jaskier. And besides, Bond always causes a mess and tells everyone his real name, remember?”

Jaskier sighs and shrugs. “I know. I mean, surely, of course I know that. But still. Anyway. Not that you’re a secret agent. I’m not implying anything. I mean, of course you could be one. I don’t want to be rude if you are one and I’m assuming you’re not just because you don’t look like a James Bond.” He gestures his hand up and down over Geralt and pulls a face. “Not that you’re not attractive. You could probably get just as many women. Or men. I know you’re not picky. Well, wait a minute. I really hope you’re picky. Otherwise that would put me in a bad light. So please be picky.”

Geralt actually chuckles at that. “Don’t worry, Jaskier.” It’s not really an answer or confirmation but Jaskier decides to take it as one.

“Oh. Well. Good.” Jaskier feels his cheeks flush a little and he takes another sip of his beer. “Good.” He watches him for another moment then hums, liking the look on Geralt’s face, who for once seems honestly amused by Jaskier’s antics. “So, how did you like my performance then?” It’s becoming a thing, Jaskier likes to think, Geralt becoming his biggest critic.

Geralt shrugs. “It was alright. I’m not a man of music and art, or at least that’s what my goddaughter always uses to say.” By the way Geralt’s face immediately closes off Jaskier can tell that he didn’t mean to share that information with him.

Jaskier smiles, happy and also a little honoured that Geralt felt comfortable enough to share that information with him. “How old is she?”

“Eleven,” Geralt replies and the dark look on his face softens once more. “She lives with me.”

“Oh.” Jaskier gives him a surprised look at that. “I didn’t expect that,” he admits and eyes Geralt carefully. “Is that why you started working at the coffee shop?”

“Something like that,” Geralt says and takes another sip of his beer. “It wasn’t planned. But we’re managing.”

“So you’re a single kind-of-father now?” Jaskier files away the information for now, happy to have learned something that personal about Geralt. After all, he knows barely anything, not even his age. So information like that will be treasured and kept to himself. He’s never suspected Geralt to be the fatherly type. He’s gruff and distant but yet, when he talks about his goddaughter there’s an expression on his face that speaks volumes about how much and how deeply he must care about her. But it makes sense now as to why Geralt has been so closed off and tight-lipped about everything. He didn’t want to give too much away, seeing as the private man he seems to be. Jaskier doesn’t know him that well but Geralt sharing this kind of information with him leaves him with a heavy yet beautiful feeling in his chest.

“Not yet. I’m her legal guardian so far. We have to wait for the adoption to go through and for that I need a steady job so I can provide for her without having to worry,” Geralt tells him and it’s the most he’s spoken to Jaskier ever, the most information he’s shared with him and once more Jaskier feels more than honoured.

“I’m sure it will work out perfectly,” he says and smiles brightly at him. “It’s a good way to start a new career, starting to work at a coffee shop. That’s a job where you learn a lot about yourself and people, I can tell you that.”

“I don’t need to learn more about people,” Geralt replies gruffly and takes another sip of his beer. There is something about the way he says it that makes Jaskier realise Geralt has apparently already made his fair share of experiences with people and most of them probably weren’t pleasing or he wouldn’t be so irritable about it all. Sure, there are certain types of people but Jaskier doubts many can easily get along with Geralt’s attitude.

Somehow he doesn’t mind Geralt’s moods himself because he feels like there is a soft core under all of these walls of pretence that Geralt doesn’t care, doesn’t want to make people happy. Jaskier has the feeling that Geralt is a big softie, he has just forgotten how to show it. But Jaskier wouldn’t be Jaskier if he wasn’t here to remind Geralt just of that. After all, he remembers quite well what a passionate and considerate lover Geralt had been when they spent their night together. There definitely is a soft core under all his gruffness.

He holds out his beer to Geralt and gives him a smile. “To us, then. And to a lovely evening. Although I’m sure you shouldn’t stay long. Since you’ve got a child at home and all.”

“She’s not alone and she’s not three,” Geralt says and Jaskier feels his face fall.

“Oh.”

“My own godfather is with her. He raised me. He lives with us now.”

“ _Oh_.” Jaskier nods because now it makes even more sense. Geralt and his goddaughter have gone through the same trouble, the same destiny is binding them together. No wonder Geralt seems so protective of her. “I’m sorry, Geralt. About that. Whatever that is.” He reaches out and places his hand on Geralt’s forearm, feeling the warm skin under his fingers.

Geralt looks down at Jaskier’s hand on his arm and he lets out a low rumble in his chest and nods before he looks back at him. “Thank you, Jaskier. I appreciate your words.”

Jaskier feels himself blush under Geralt’s stare and he isn’t sure what to reply right now, so he stays quiet for a moment. He’s learned more about Geralt in one night than he has in the last days while working at the coffee shop. “You’re welcome,” he replies quietly after a moment and gives Geralt’s arm another squeeze, trying to make him feel what Jaskier is unable to say. He wants to be a friend, wants to be there for Geralt because he feels like that is something he’s going to need.

The problem about that might be that Jaskier still feels lust for the man. He can’t forget their night in Posada. Can’t forget how it felt to have Geralt in his bed, how the touch of his fingers felt on his skin and how it felt to touch him in return. No matter how much and hard he tries, Jaskier just can’t forget it.

Geralt’s lips quirk up into a small smile and he turns back to look straight ahead, not saying anything else anymore. And Jaskier is quite sure that the way Geralt is smiling, almost a little knowingly, tells him that he is still thinking about their night as well. Quickly he pulls back his hand and takes a large sip of his beer.

When Jaskier looks over, Triss is watching him with an amused expression from behind the stage and Jaskier flips her off, good-naturedly, of course. He’s still happy that the woman lets him play at her pub, but he’s definitely not interested in Triss commenting on Jaskier’s love life or the lack thereof, Jaskier doesn’t need that right now, especially with Geralt right next to him. He knows that he’s a lost cause, especially when it comes to Geralt, but Jaskier doesn’t want to be confronted with his feelings. Not tonight anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have had a very busy week, that's why I didn't update on Wednesday (that was the plan at least), but here is the next chapter.  
> Let me know what you think? <3 
> 
> I also bought Witcher 3 this week and the plan is to start playing it today. So I think that's what I will get up to now. It's Saturday after all and I managed to get everything done I need to get done.


	5. Chapter 5

Now that Geralt has shared a little more personal information with Jaskier, Jaskier is actually getting greedy. He wants to know more. With every day at the coffee shop that passes that Geralt doesn’t share more information, Jaskier gets a little more restless. It’s selfish, he knows that, especially since Geralt does seem to have his reasons not to share whatever is going on in that thick yet handsome head of his. Jaskier shouldn’t pressure him. But now that his curiosity is properly peaked, Jaskier can’t stop himself from getting nosier. And the other night Jaskier had learned more about Geralt than he ever thought he would when he walked back into Jaskier’s life.

Jaskier contemplates what his options are. He can either be patient and wait for Geralt to come to him, or he can take matters into his own hands and see where it leads him. After all, there are only so many options Geralt has when Jaskier confronts him with questions.

“Does Yennefer know?” Jaskier asks eventually a few days later when they are working another shift together. He tries to be casual about it because while he’s dying to know if Geralt has shared any information with anyone else but Jaskier, he also doesn’t want to be too blunt. Even though holding himself back isn’t Jaskier’s strong suit. It has never been.

“About what?”

“Your goddaughter,” Jaskier points out, watching him out of the corner of his eyes before he fully turns towards him. Luckily not many people are in the shop right now and the group of tourists sitting by the window is minding their own business instead of listening in to Jaskier and Geralt having an important conversation.

“Ciri,” Geralt says and looks up. “Her name is Ciri. And no. She doesn’t.”

“That’s a beautiful name.”

“I didn’t choose it.”

“Still beautiful.” Jaskier waves his hand around. “I’m sure she’s glad to have you if she doesn’t have a family anymore.”

“We’re managing,” Geralt replies gruffly but there is something about him, a hint that he’s doing the best he can and he knows it. Jaskier feels like Geralt would protect Ciri with his life and isn’t that what any parent is supposed to be doing? “She’s happy she’s got a dog now.”

“Oh, a dog?” Jaskier asks curiously and tilts his head to the side. “What kind of breed?”

“She’s an American Akita. Her name is Roach. She’s the gentlest soul,” Geralt replies and his lips quirk up in that soft smile of his, telling Jaskier more about him than he could actually do with all words combined. He definitely is a gentle soul and he loves that dog.

“Wow. That’s really cool. I’d be chuffed to have a dog, too, if I was an eleven-year-old getting adopted by their godfather.” Jaskier comments but grins at him, trying to show Geralt that it’s just a gentle ribbing. He didn’t imagine Geralt to have a dog, if he’s honest. But Jaskier has discovered that there are quite a few things he would have never suspected of Geralt. It makes Jaskier want to help Geralt even more, to make him understand that Jaskier actually cares about him and his life and what’s important to Geralt. He doesn’t just care about alcohol and music and getting famous and a few good orgasms here or there. He cares about Geralt, even though they don’t know each other that well yet. Maybe it’s destiny, fate, whatever someone might call it, but Jaskier still feels drawn towards him, feels like there is something more for in it all for them. “If there is anything I can do to help, let me know?”

Geralt shoots him a look as if trying to figure Jaskier out, if there is a secret agenda maybe. But Jaskier really just wants to help. He didn’t go through the same trauma as Geralt or Ciri. He grew up in a noble family with privilege and easy access to higher education. His parents, even though they don’t approve much of his dream of becoming a musician, are still there and even though he doesn’t talk to them as much as he should, they would still there for him if he needed help. Never minding how Jaskier wants to make it on his own, that he’s earning his own money and he’s taking care of himself because that’s something he actually can do, clumsy idiot or not, he could always fall back to his family should the need arise. And he knows how important it is, to have that. That’s why he knows that Geralt is trying his best.

“I mean it,” Jaskier says and smiles, nodding his head before he turns his attention back to the countertop he’s cleaning. “I might not be good at raising kids or anything, but I’m really great at entertaining them? They love me. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because I’m so funny or my singing voice is so great or maybe—“

“It’s because you never shut up,” Geralt supplies, not helpful in least bit.

“Maybe that, too. No one knows, really.” Jaskier laughs and looks up again. “So. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know, okay? Don’t be a cantankerous old idiot who doesn’t want to ask his friends for help even if he needs it.”

He doesn’t mean to be insulting but he knows that Geralt is not someone who would ask for help if he can actually avoid doing it. Otherwise he would have told Yennefer about Ciri already. After all, they do have some kind of history together and whether or not that has been some time ago, Jaskier would attest to it that they are friends. So surely a woman would be able to give good advice in raising a girl. But of course Geralt wouldn’t ask for help. So Jaskier has practically to force it on him. Even if that’s something that his mother definitely didn’t raise him to do, Jaskier wants to make sure Geralt knows he doesn’t have to carry the burden alone if he’s out of his depth.

“I will let you know, Jaskier. But so far we manage just fine,” Geralt replies and turns away, but there is a small smile tugging up the corners of his lips and Jaskier smiles in return, humming to himself as he turns back to wiping the counter.

Every day he manages to make Geralt smile is a good day for Jaskier.

\--

The thing Jaskier realises pretty quickly with Geralt is that whenever he manages to share some crucial information with Jaskier, he always ends up being a little bit more tight-lipped the next few days. Sure, Jaskier gets it because Geralt doesn’t want to give away too much of himself, making himself too vulnerable. But Jaskier wants to be a good friend, someone Geralt can rely on, if he let him. He just doesn’t know how to make Geralt realise that while Jaskier is curious and likes to know things, he is someone Geralt can trust.

After all, ever since Geralt stumbled back into Jaskier’s life, Jaskier hasn’t met up with anyone else again. He’s played his gigs, gone to work and tried to flirt his arse off with Geralt, trying to make him like him just as much as Jaskier likes him. But Geralt is either thick or doesn’t want to see it, maybe he also tries to avoid flirting on the job. Either way, he’s a tough one to break, even though Jaskier can already see a few cracks in his shell whenever Geralt smiles at him or laughs at his jokes.

After a while though, he realises something that is a shock to himself. The more he tries to get to know Geralt, the more he loses track of working on his music. He doesn’t end up playing gigs as often anymore and while there are a lot of new words and melodies in his head, Jaskier doesn’t find the time or muse to sit down and actually write them down. It seems like he’s put his mind so much on becoming Geralt’s friend that his love for music has been pushed to the background a little. It’s a strange thing for him, Jaskier has never lost track of his music before, not when he was feeling down, not when he was feeling high and in love. Before Geralt, whenever he mastered to find a bit of free time, he sat down and wrote a few lyrics, jamming away on his guitar until something good came out of it.

He will have to get back to it eventually, no matter how tempting it is to have his thoughts run around Geralt of Rivia and how to get to know him better, or even how to help him raise a child. Jaskier might have even looked up schools in the neighbourhood and that’s definitely not something he should do. He might be a little over-invested, but he’s very well aware of that and doesn’t need someone to point that out to him. That’s why he didn’t tell anyone about that yet, especially not Geralt.

When he looks over and notices Geralt behind the counter, busy sorting through the receipts he can’t help but smile a little. Geralt has gotten so well at the job, not only because he knows exactly what he is doing by now, but also because he actually is nice to the customers. Jaskier takes great pride in that. While Geralt isn’t the first one he’s shown the ropes, he definitely is the toughest case. Yet even tough cases seem to yield fruit, eventually. Jaskier smiles a little wider and then shakes his head at himself. He’s at work and he shouldn’t let himself get too distracted by Geralt.

“Geralt? Could you be a darling and put away the—“ Jaskier lets out a yelp as he somehow manages to trip over his own feet or a crooked plank in the hardwood floor. He closes his eyes, squeezing them shut as he already braces himself for the connection of the hardwood floor and his face.

However it never comes.

When he opens his eyes again, he stares directly into Geralt’s face, amber eyes watching Jaskier closely with a grim expression. “Are you alright?”

Jaskier blinks, suddenly painfully aware of the feeling of Geralt’s arm around him, the other hand on his biceps and he didn’t realise that Geralt had such a tight grip or that he could move so fast. If Jaskier remembers correctly Geralt had been on the other side of the counter. “Yeah,” he squeaks and clears his throat. He hates that his voice is betraying him like this, showing clearly that having Geralt this close affects him more than he wants to let on. But Jaskier is only human and Geralt is an attractive man. Besides that he knows exactly how his skin feels against Jaskier’s and it’s been a while since Jaskier has been with anyone, so he can hardly be blamed for feeling a little lust right now.

Geralt nods and he watches him closely for a moment longer before he finally straightens again and pulls Jaskier to his feet as well. “You’re a bit red in the face. You should sit down. I’ll bring you a glass of water,” he says and guides Jaskier to one of the tables nearby, making him sit down on one of the chairs.

Jaskier lets him because he isn’t still quite sure he’s dreaming this or if Geralt is actually taking care of him right now. He feels a bit stupid for being this clumsy but on the other hand it got him Geralt’s attention at last because Geralt had been tight-lipped and quite closed off again, something Jaskier hadn’t anticipated after their talk the other day. He nods slowly and only when Geralt is satisfied he won’t move he finally leaves Jaskier alone, leaving him to look after Geralt as he goes to fetch him some water.

Geralt is a good man, of that Jaskier is sure. Not only that he’s taking care of a child that isn’t his, a child that doesn’t have any family left except for him, he’s also trying his best to work at the coffee shop and to work hard, trying to be nice and even a little less gruff than he normally comes across, all so they get their fair share of tips. And even though he doesn’t probably only do it for Jaskier, Jaskier can’t help to think he does it mostly for him, because it does feel like it, even if it’s just the tiniest little bit.

\--

“You seem in a really good mood today.”

“Good morning Triss,” Jaskier comments and smiles at the pub owner. “I haven’t seen you in forever. Almost like you were avoiding me.” He sniffs dramatically and looks to the side, careful to make a show out of this and Triss laughs.

“Sorry, Jaskier. I definitely didn’t avoid you. I was away on business, checking out better opportunities for my pub. It’s good to see you, though. You seem really happy.”

Jaskier smiles and nods. “Thank you. I am. It’s a good day. We’ve made a ton of tips this morning. I think Geralt over here even smiled at one lady and it wasn’t a grim expression. She swooned.”

Triss laughs and looks over to where Geralt pretends he isn’t listening in on the conversation. “Hello Geralt. It’s been a long time.”

“Triss.” Geralt looks up and nods. “It has. How are you?”

“Well, thank you. And I take it you’re well, too, considering you’re flirting with defenceless women in the morning,” Triss says, her tone teasing. Jaskier cocks his head to the side. He didn’t know Triss and Geralt knew each other. But on the other hand he also didn’t know Geralt and Yennefer are old friends. It seems like there is a lot that Jaskier doesn’t know. He shouldn’t even question it. After all, as a pub owner, Triss is someone with a lot of contacts to a lot of different branches, networking an important part of her life. And, on the other hand, since she knows Yennefer rather well, maybe Geralt’s and her connection goes back to this as well.

“I wasn’t flirting. I was being nice.”

“That’s something worth marking out calendars for,” Yennefer comments as she steps out of her office. “Although I think I would have preferred it if you have actually been flirting. That, at least, would have steadied my view of the world.”

“Hm.”

Since Geralt doesn’t seem willing to add anything further to the conversation, Jaskier feels like it’s up to him to jump to Geralt’s defences. “I think it’s remarkable. Not everyone can master that skill.” He glances over to Yennefer, who is watching him with an amused expression.

“Surely not,” she agrees. “They’d have to be a headless musician for that. Or maybe unsuccessful. I’m not sure which would describe such a person better.”

“Your jokes are so old... they’ve grown a beard,” Jaskier huffs out and turns away again, making Yennefer laugh while Triss just shakes her head. Of course, Yennefer’s and his ribbing and the nasty comments have become somewhat a tradition for them and while Jaskier pretends he doesn’t like her, he actually does. And he knows she doesn’t really mean to insult him, they just talk to each other like that. She’s a good boss and despite declaring her dislike of Jaskier’s music, he catches her often enough dancing to his tunes in Triss’s pub, whenever Yennefer manages to go to Jaskier’s concerts under the pretence of visiting her friend. It can’t be too bad then.

“Anyway, it’s good to see you solidly back on your feet, Jaskier. After that incident a few days ago,” Yennefer comments and Jaskier can feel his cheeks heat up. He hadn’t noticed that Yennefer had been around when it happened.

“What happened?” Triss asks and looks from one to the other, a curious look on her face.

“Jaskier tripped and almost fell. Geralt caught him,” Yennefer tells her and the smile on her lips is almost knowingly. Jaskier isn’t sure he likes it.

“Oh.” Triss smiles as well and nods. “I’m glad you’re alright though, Jaskier. And that you were here to look out for him, Geralt.”

While Geralt just grunts, Jaskier blushes some more, somehow not feeling right about being painted like a damsel in distress. He’s clumsy, yes, but he definitely doesn’t need someone to look out for him. “Maybe I did it on purpose!” He exclaims then and three pairs of eyes come to rest on him.

“On purpose?” Yennefer asks, cocking her eyebrow in amusement. 

“Yes. Maybe so.” 

“I do think there are better ways to flirt than throwing yourself onto the ground and hoping a strong man will catch you in time,” Yennefer says and laughs at that. “But whatever floats your boat, Jaskier. I’m not judging you. Although. I am, a little bit.”

Jaskier squints at her and then huffs again, turning away from her to make his way back to the counter. He doesn’t miss the look Geralt throws Yennefer and then how Geralt fixes Jaskier with his eyes.

They always think he’s not perceptive. But Jaskier notices things. And maybe he didn’t throw himself in Geralt’s arms on purpose because he actually is that clumsy and he happens to stumble over his own two feet or even nothing more often than not. But somehow the thought of Geralt assuming that Jaskier could have done it on purpose leaves a thrilling feeling with him. It’s a strange way of flirting, maybe Yennefer is right about that. But there is some hope that it might lead to something more and Jaskier can hope.

“Can I look forward to having you play at my pub again soon?” Triss asks then and smiles at Jaskier, stepping up to the counter.

“What kind of question is that?” Jaskier asks and turns around to beam at her. “I love playing at your pub. It’s the best pub in town. You know that, right?”

“Now you’re just smarmy,” Yennefer comments and Jaskier ignores her, his gaze firmly on Triss.

Triss laughs happily. “I’d love to welcome you again soon. Maybe next week again? That should give you some time to write some new songs maybe?”

“Oh, good idea. I haven’t written anything new in a while,” Jaskier admits and nods, feeling a little shameful to admit it to her now.

Triss smiles. “Good. I’m looking forward to hearing new music from you. But I don’t want to bother you. I actually came to talk to Yennefer.” She looks over to Jaskier’s boss and Yennefer smiles at her, a soft expression on her face. Jaskier cranes his neck at that, his eyebrows shooting up. Of course, he should have noticed earlier. There’s always been a spark between the two of them and Jaskier has been too blind to see it, too caught up in his own world. Of course, they are discreet about it and Jaskier would never ask them for any further details now that he has realised what’s going on. But he likes the fact that both women are happy.

“Let’s go into my office,” Yennefer says and holds out her arm, smiling some more when Triss steps up to her, the two women vanishing into said room and Yennefer making sure to close the door behind them.

Jaskier hums and steps closer to Geralt. “How long do you think this has been going on?” He asks curiously and looks past him to watch the door.

“I’m not interested in gossip,” Geralt says, making Jaskier roll his eyes.

“C’mon Geralt. You have known Yennefer for how long? And you know Triss, too. So you must be interested in what’s going on between them.”

Geralt shrugs. “I don’t judge on other people’s lives, Jaskier. And neither should you.”

Jaskier groans. “You’re no fun!” He comments and nudges him before he goes back to work, shooting the door to Yennefer’s office another glance, smiling softly to himself. It all makes sense now. The way Yennefer has always been gentler and nicer when Triss is around, the way they smile at each other. Jaskier has just been too blind to see.

Or maybe he has been too focused on getting to know a certain colleague. Just like Jaskier didn’t focus enough on his music to write any new songs or make any more progress. Triss is right, he should write some more music and play more gigs. After all, it’s Jaskier’s dream to make it big and he’s been neglecting it for a while now. So, he decides, when he’ll get back home after work, he’ll sit down and start writing a few more songs. There are a few possible lyrics that are stuck in his head that need to be written down and maybe it’s Geralt’s fault the words come to Jaskier so easily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, the biggest thank you probably has to go to [crownheartsteacup](http://crownheartsteacup.tumblr.com) again, for reading this over. <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, [crownheartsteacup](http://crownheartsteacup.tumblr.com) is the best person in the world and she's the best for reading this over. <3   
> All remaining mistakes are my own.

Now that Jaskier’s focus on music is back on track and the words and melodies come to him more easily, he actually does end up writing more than ever. Triss has, again, as always, been a good influence on that. He ends up playing a lot of gigs, earning more money than he could possibly spend and he stashes it away for worse times to come. His parents, even though wealthy, have taught Jaskier that there could always be times worse than he could ever imagine it. And he’s kept that in mind. After all, he didn’t have it easy while trying to make it with his music at first. It feels like the more time Jaskier spends with playing gigs, the less time he spends with Geralt or actually getting to know him.

It is something that Jaskier can’t let him get away with though, because while he still wants to make it as a musician, he also still wants to get to know Geralt, still wants to be friends with him and still wants to flirt with him. He isn’t quite so sure anymore what exactly he wants but he wants it all. Geralt’s friendship, his love, his body and soul. Jaskier is greedy. It’s probably not his wisest decision because he can’t have everything at once and Geralt might have something to say in that as well. But Jaskier is a determined man and he has been known for his persistence.

It’s not that Geralt and he doesn’t get to spend time together. After all, they still work together and since Geralt has been coming to all of his gigs anyway, they have even spent some time together after work. But they never were alone, always other people lingering and watching and Jaskier didn’t want to get too personal then, not when Geralt wouldn’t have felt comfortable sharing anything with him anyway. It’s one thing to spend some time together but entirely different to get to know each other.

While Jaskier has definitely formed a few friendships with his other co-workers, he wouldn’t say he’s even remotely as invested with them as he is with getting to know Geralt. It might be due to the fact that Geralt has sparked Jaskier’s interest that very first night in Posada or it might just be because Geralt is mysterious and incites anyone’s interest. At least anyone in their right mind. Jaskier hasn’t really seen anyone else ask Geralt anything though. Most people seem afraid of him and while Geralt is doing his best to be nicer to people at work, he’s still quite distant to everyone, the look on his face not exactly inviting people to ask him personal questions. Not that Jaskier has ever been stopped by that.

He looks straight past Geralt’s crotchety behaviour. Maybe he’s been treated wrongly, Jaskier doesn’t know. But Geralt obviously doesn’t trust people and he doesn’t want to let Jaskier in either. But Jaskier isn’t anyone else. He really likes Geralt, maybe even a little more than that. He wants to show him that not everything is bad in life, if that’s something Jaskier can do. He’s not quite sure, but he’s willing to try. After all Jaskier likes the finer things in life, appreciates what it does with him when he savours every possible moment in life. 

When it’s finally Monday and his only free evening in the week rolls around, Jaskier sees his chance arise. He watches Geralt all morning, being his grumpy old self as he tries his best not to bite anyone’s head off. At least Jaskier always knows when Geralt gets out of the wrong side of the bed and he can hardly blame him for carrying his mood on open display. For a man who is so up-tight about everything personal, Geralt can be so easily read, it’s surprising.

“You know, since I don’t have a concert tonight, it’s basically my night off this week. But I feel like I’m in the mood for cooking and I haven’t cooked in a while since cooking for one is silly. So if you wanted to... you could come back to mine after work for dinner?” Jaskier finally offers after the first rush of customers has been served with coffee and pastries. He feels his cheeks heat up as he speaks the offer, hoping that Geralt will get the message, will get that Jaskier definitely is flirting with him now and he wants to make sure he’ll have a chance with him, or at least have Geralt know that he is flirting with him. Although Geralt hasn’t really made any moves yet to return Jaskier’s advances up until now, there is always a time to start and follow his ambitions with more determination.

“I don’t think I should,” Geralt says and looks over to him, eyeing him closely.

Jaskier tries his best not to shift under the stare and he nods. “Oh, yes, sure. Ciri. I know. Silly me.” He smiles and nods, looking down at his hands. “I know that you can’t stay out late every night. You’ve got a child to look after.” Of course he should have known that and it makes perfect sense that Geralt will always put his child first. Especially since he hasn’t legally adopted her yet and yet had still managed to be at every single one of Jaskier’s performances, even though often enough he had left before the gig ended. Jaskier understands that he’s got a child to look after. However the rejection still hurts and Jaskier isn’t good with being rejected. He never was and he never will be. He hates going back to his flat, alone and almost a little miserable, because Jaskier’s got a lot of love to give and he’d love to share it with Geralt. But of course he accepts it that Geralt doesn’t want it. Jaskier can hardly force him.

“What were your plans for dinner?”

“Huh?” When Jaskier looks up Geralt is watching him attentively with his amber eyes and this time Jaskier can’t help the shiver that runs down his body. He will probably never get used to having Geralt look at him like that because it will always remind him of their night together and combined with all of his confused feelings, that is hardly a good combination. Not only is Jaskier confused now but also horny.

“The food for dinner. What did you have planned?”

“Oh. Just... a bit of rice and chicken and veg? Not really anything fancy, you know? But... yeah.” Jaskier smiles, a faint glimmer of hope starting to rise in his chest. “If you want to come to dinner I’d very much love it. We could buy groceries together and have some wine with it, or beer, if that’s more your thing? After the shift. It’ll still be early for you to get back home on time?”

“Yes,” Geralt says finally and nods. “It sounds like a good meal.”

“Wicked.” Jaskier beams at him and nods, before he goes back to cleaning the coffee maker, his mood having risen to an incredible level with Geralt’s answer to his suggestion. Sure, it’s just one dinner, but Geralt is actually coming back home to his place. Somehow it feels like a date and Jaskier hasn’t had a date in a long time, the butterflies in his stomach rising up as he thinks about the fact that it’s Geralt whom he has his date with. He will woo him with his cooking abilities. After all, the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, or however the saying goes. Jaskier just hopes that Valdo will keep true to his statement that he’ll be out for the whole night.

\--

Grocery shopping with Geralt is actually a pain in the arse. He knows what food he needs and likes and he’s very efficient about following the shopping list. But whenever Jaskier wants to place something else into the basket, Geralt puts it away again, reminding him of the task at hand and that they were just here for certain types of groceries.

“But what about dessert?” Jaskier asks and pouts as Geralt puts away the tiramisu – Jaskier would have made it from scratch but it would have taken too much time and he’d rather spend it with Geralt than standing in the kitchen and preparing the dessert.

“I don’t eat dessert.”

“Of course you don’t.” Jaskier sighs and brings out his finger to poke Geralt’s biceps. “If I were looking like you I probably wouldn’t eat dessert either.”

Geralt lets out a huff, a sound that comes close to a laugh and Jaskier smiles to himself as he places a bottle of white wine into the basket. “You do have very muscular thighs, Jaskier.”

Jaskier splutters and looks up at Geralt who is inspecting the wine bottle. “What?”

“I do remember you well from our night in Posada,” Geralt says nonchalantly and finally puts the wine back in the basket. Then his gaze comes to rest on Jaskier’s and Jaskier blushes quite heavily.

“Oh.”

Instead of saying anything else Geralt smiles a little and raises an eyebrow before he pulls away, starting to walk into the direction of the tills.

Jaskier just stares after him, clearly at a loss for words. That’s something that rarely happens to him but somehow Geralt manages to tickle that reaction out of him quite often. He really hadn’t expected Geralt to remember their night so fondly or apparently in so much detail that he still remembers Jaskier’s thighs. Sure, the sex had been great, if anyone would ask Jaskier about it. But somehow he didn’t consider that Geralt thought so as well. Surely he must have done these things often before. So now Jaskier feels a little more flattered than he wants to admit, to himself and especially to Geralt. Quickly Jaskier shakes his head and then sets after Geralt to follow him, his mind still trying to wrap around what Geralt just told him.

\--

“Welcome to my humble home,” Jaskier says as he pushes open the door to his flatshare with Valdo and lets Geralt enter first.

Geralt takes a curious look around as he steps in. “You don’t live alone,” he states as he slips out of his boots.

Jaskier shakes his head and does the same, putting his shoes neatly next to Geralt’s. “No, I don’t. I told you about my flatmate before? Valdo, a musician as well. We’ve got a sort of special relationship.”

“How come?” Geralt asks as he follows Jaskier into the kitchen, still looking around.

“We don’t get along. I’d wish he’d be struck down with apoplexy and die if I were a bad man, which I am not, luckily for him. So...” Jaskier laughs and shrugs. “It was convenient to have him live with me in the beginning because I couldn’t afford the place on my own and now that I could, I can’t get him to move out of the flat and I don’t want to move out because I love it here. Which is ironic.”

“Very,” Geralt agrees as he steps up to Jaskier to the counter and helps him unpack their ingredients for their dinner. “Can’t you find another flatmate?”

“I could. But have you seen the market out there? I could end up with someone even worse than Valdo and I’m not sure why I’m saying this, but keep your friends close but your enemies closer?” Jaskier says and shrugs. “I just want to keep an eye on him. Don’t judge me.”

“I’m not. It’s smart.”

“Good. Because while he’s an idiot and a mean one on top of that, I hope that I can nick a thing from him or two? Learn, if you want to call it like that. Although I’m not sure what exactly someone like him could teach someone like me. I’m way better with words, melody and at the guitar.”

Geralt hums. “I’m sure.”

Jaskier huffs. “Of course you are sure because that’s the truth!” He calls out and nudges Geralt’s shoulder. “So, if you wouldn’t mind opening the bottle of wine and pouring us a glass? The wine glasses are in the top cupboard to your left.”

He pointedly turns away from Geralt and starts getting out the pots they need for cooking, even though he can feel Geralt’s eyes on him. He’s not sure what to make of it but he likes having Geralt in his kitchen, cooking dinner with him. It feels domestic and normal, like they could be doing it every night.

Jaskier gets out a cutting knife and a board as well for the vegetables they have bought. “Could you wash the vegs, Geralt?” He asks once Geralt has opened the wine for them and poured both of them a glass. “I’d cut them. I mean, we could switch, but I’m not sure I trust you with a knife. You look like you could seriously hurt yourself.”

Geralt doesn’t reply but he walks over to the sink to wash the broccoli and carrots they have bought before he hands them to Jaskier, watching him cut them into right sized shapes. Of course Jaskier feels Geralt’s eyes on him, making him feel a little bit uneasy.

“You could put up the rice already? Can you cook?” He asks, watching Geralt closely.

“I know how to cook, Jaskier,” Geralt replies, sounding almost a little hurt by Jaskier accusation but nonetheless he starts preparing the rice. While that starts cooking on the stove, Geralt takes care of the chicken, cutting it into pieces as well, ignoring Jaskier’s protests of Geralt using a knife for it.

From time to time Jaskier glances over to him to look out if Geralt really knows what he’s doing but because of that Jaskier ends up being careless himself and his knife misses the piece of carrot he’s been holding. “Fuck!” He calls out and immediately lets the knife drop, jumping over to the sink to hold his finger under cold water.

In less than a second Geralt is with him and he takes hold of Jaskier’s left wrist, holding his hand under water while he inspects the damage. Luckily it doesn’t seem too bad and Geralt grunts. “At least the finger is still attached.”

“What do you mean? I could have cut off my finger?” Jaskier shrieks and watches him, his eyes big.

“Yes. I have seen people cutting off their fingertips with smaller knives,” Geralt replies and looks around. “Do you have a first aid kit?”

“Under the sink,” Jaskier replies and narrows his eyes to watch Geralt closely. “Do I want to know why you’ve seen people cut off their fingertips with knives?”

“No,” Geralt says easily and then bends over to pull out the first aid kit. He puts it on the table and then grabs some tissue to carefully wrap it around Jaskier’s finger. He’s surprisingly gentle considering how massive his bulky body and his hands look. He walks Jaskier over to the table as well and makes him sit down, sitting down across from him as he starts to attend to his wounds.

“Ow,” Jaskier whines softly when Geralt puts something on his wound, even though it didn’t sting that much. But sometimes he needs to let Geralt know what he’s feeling.

“You should be more careful, Jaskier,” he says and when his gaze meets Jaskier’s, concern in showing in his eyes and Jaskier can’t help but smile.

“Sorry. I’m a clumsy disaster. I tend to attract accidents,” he tells him and shrugs, watching Geralt put a bandage on his finger. “I’ve always done it, even as child. You could ask my mother. Please don’t go and ask my mother. She would tell a lot of stories I’m not comfortable with sharing.”

Geralt chuckles at that before he turns back to tending Jaskier’s wound. “I’m not going to ask your mother, Jaskier, relax.”

“My name is actually Julian,” Jaskier blurts out and when Geralt looks up at him again he shrugs. “Julian Alfred Pankratz. It didn’t sound like a nice artist’s name. So... I picked Jaskier. I’ve got Polish roots and it’s quite fitting to choose a name with meaning.”

“What does it mean?” Geralt asks, tilting his head to the side as he watches him closely, his hand still on Jaskier’s wrist, warm and heavy, reminding Jaskier that they are awfully close.

“It means buttercup,” he says and feels himself blush a little. “My grandmother used to call me that when I was little because I had a bright yellow hat I would wear all the time. It’s silly, I know...”

“It’s nice.” The sound of Geralt’s voice is gentle and when Jaskier looks up there’s a soft expression in his amber eyes, something he isn’t quite sure he’s seen before.

“Thank you,” Jaskier replies quietly and bites his lip, noticing for a split second how Geralt’s eyes flick down to take in the action.

It’s over before Jaskier can comment on it though and the moment between them is broken as Geralt goes back to wrapping the bandage around his finger. “You shouldn’t play the guitar for a while, I think.”

“Have you seen me play the guitar, Geralt? It’s my left hand. I can use that with a plaster. Don’t worry about me. The next gig is tomorrow, so I’ll be fine.” Jaskier laughs softly and shrugs, watching Geralt put away the bandages and scissors, packing them back into the first aid kit.

“Well, it’s your hand,” he says and then closes the kit again, looking up at Jaskier. “We should continue making the food.”

“Yes, right. You’ll need to get home soon.” Jaskier nods and smiles before he gets up with Geralt. “Thank you, for taking care of me.”

Geralt nods. “Hm.”

“You know, I think I’m getting better at deciphering your grunts because I think this meant “you’re welcome, Jaskier”. I could be wrong though,” Jaskier comments and chuckles as he takes the first aid kit and places it back under the sink.

Geralt lets out a low laugh as he picks up the knife and goes back cutting the vegetables where Jaskier left off, not saying anything else. But he doesn’t have to. The way he’s standing there in Jaskier’s kitchen, as if he belongs right there, is enough of an answer for Jaskier. 

They end up enjoying their dinner together and even though it’s Jaskier who holds up most parts of the conversation it’s still nice to have Geralt join in from time to time. He doesn’t share a lot more about Ciri or his past, but Jaskier figures that it’s not important. After all, they are spending some time together now, alone, just the two of them, outside of work and Jaskier gets to get to know Geralt on a personal level. After all, he has been in bed with him already, so that’s not what this is about. Even though it would be nice, of course, Jaskier definitely wouldn’t decline another tumble in the sheets. He wants more than that, wants more than lust and sex.

Jaskier hadn’t quite known what he would get into when Geralt accepted his invitation for dinner this morning. But he doesn’t mind now, doesn’t mind sharing some more of his own personal life story with Geralt. It does feel like Geralt is interested in getting to know him as well, seeing as how he is listening and watching Jaskier attentively as he speaks and while Jaskier is used to being the centre of attention, all eyes on him while he’s on stage, it’s different when it’s just one pair of eyes focused on him. Geralt’s attention feels heavy, yet comforting and almost like a security blanket Jaskier can wrap around himself.

He wishes the evening would never end but eventually Geralt glances at his watch and lets out a grunt. “I need to go.”

Jaskier nods. “Of course.” He smiles slightly and gets up with Geralt. Of course the evening can’t go on forever. Geralt has a child waiting for him that needs attention and whether or not she isn’t alone, Jaskier can’t allow himself to be this selfish. “Oh, no. Don’t worry about the dishes.” He laughs and swats Geralt’s hands away when he reaches for the plates to stack them in order to clear the table. “I’ll do it when you’re gone.”

“You sure?”

“Oh yes. It’ll give me something to do,” Jaskier replies and chuckles. “And I promise I’m not too handicapped from the cut. I’ll be fine.” It’s either doing the dishes or him lying in bed and pining after what he can’t have. So he’s definitely taking the first option.

“Alright.” Geralt nods and the two make their way into the hallway towards the door. “Thank you for dinner, Jaskier. It was delicious.”

Jaskier beams at him and nods back. “Thanks. It definitely was delicious. Thanks for keeping me company. It’s always nicer when you don’t have to eat alone. I have read once that it’ll make you fat and thank you very much, I quite like my physique.”

Geralt laughs at that, a low rumble in his throat and he raises his eyebrows at the comment. “You most certainly have a nice body,” he comments and then opens the door before Jaskier can say anything else. “I will see you tomorrow at work.” With that he is gone, closing the door quietly behind him and leaving Jaskier to stare at it, at a loss for words.

He definitely did not expect Geralt to flirt back with him, especially twice in one day. Sure, there were hints before, but Jaskier has never really expected Geralt to be this open about the flirting. Now he definitely will have to do the dishes in order to keep himself from thinking too much about Geralt and what he yet can’t have.

Luckily Valdo comes home soon after Jaskier has started to clean the pots and plates because having him around the flat is an instant mood killer. He tries not to scowl at Valdo too much and instead goes to bed early, catching up on a bit of needed sleep, trying to keep his dreams from chasing after a certain someone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [crownheartsteacup](http://crownheartsteacup.tumblr.com) is the best person in the world and she's the best for reading this over. <3   
> All remaining mistakes are my own.

“Here.” Geralt hands him a plastic bag and Jaskier blinks.

They have just started their shift at the coffee shop. It’s still bright and early in the morning, the sun only having found her way over the horizon and bathing the coffee shop in a dim golden light through the windows that face east towards the banks of the river. Geralt still seems a little gruff, his mouth tight around the edges and he will most probably never be a morning person. Jaskier can hardly blame him. Not a lot of people like getting up early in the morning. There are times Jaskier could sing as early as he wakes but when he didn’t get enough sleep he’s a little grumpy in the mornings himself. But most of the times he’s in an exceptional mood, had been especially in the last months since Geralt walked back into his life. After all, not only has his fun at work increased a lot since then, Jaskier’s music career has also started to take off at last.

He’s not quite sure if that’s thanks to Geralt being there or simply a few things happily lining up with destiny. Whatever it is, Jaskier isn’t going to question it. Not like he’s questioning whatever it is that Geralt has given him now. In a plastic bag of all things.

“Geralt, please. Has nobody told you to use jute bags? I swear to you, the things you still have to learn.” Jaskier huffs and Geralt rolls his eyes. “What is this, anyway?” He asks and carefully peeks into the bag. He blinks at a record of one of his favourite bands, The Amazing Devil, and he pulls it out of the bag to beam at Geralt. “Where in the gods names did you managed to find that, Geralt?” He asks, clearly surprised. One, Geralt remembered what Jaskier’s favourite band was, and secondly Geralt got his hands on a rare vinyl copy of their first album. The band has been long gone, but Jaskier has a thing for classical folk music.

Geralt shrugs. “There was a record shop Ciri found. She likes these things. I went with her and found this. It’s a gift.”

“I can hardly take it! That’s... it’s the best gift you could make me.” Jaskier beams at him and then launches forward, wrapping his arms around Geralt in a tight hug. “Thank you, Geralt,” he whispers and presses his face into his neck.

Geralt’s arms come to wrap around him and he returns the hug, giving Jaskier’s body a tight squeeze. It makes Jaskier press himself even closer into his arms, letting himself fall into the embrace. It has been a long time since he felt Geralt’s arms around him and back then Jaskier didn’t think anything of it. He was just looking for quick release, a night with a stranger that promised fun and excitement. Now Jaskier is looking for stability and love. He wants to be held and to hold back, to offer Geralt the same comfort he is holding for him. It might be clichéd and corny. But it’s exactly what Jaskier wants. And he’s got the feeling that Geralt wants it, too, might even need it.

“You’re welcome, Jaskier,” Geralt says quietly into his hair, lips ghosting over the outer shell of his ear and Jaskier barely suppresses a shiver. Geralt’s voice is deep and a little brusque, even though he tries to be gentle and it shouldn’t affect Jaskier that much when he says his name, but it does.

Even though he doesn’t want to lean back he does eventually and looks up at him, smiling softly at the gentle look on Geralt’s face. It says everything he doesn’t express with his words, how much he liked Jaskier’s reaction to his gift and how much he enjoys the smile on Jaskier’s face. By now, after months of working with Geralt on a daily basis, of spending his time with him at the pub and even at his flat, Jaskier has come to get to read Geralt’s looks and grunts. He’s fluent in Geraltish and it makes his heart burst.

He brings up his hand and cups Geralt’s cheek because he doesn’t know what else to do. Right now words would fail Jaskier, a rare situation as he normally is never at a loss of words. But he doesn’t want to ruin the moment, doesn’t want to spook Geralt by saying something. So instead he shows him, with touches, in Geralt’s very own language.

Geralt lets out a soft hum, not gruff at all and he leans a little into the touch, bringing up his hand to circle it around Jaskier’s wrist, his thumb brushing over his pulse point. The touch is as gentle as the sound he just made and Jaskier feels his cheeks heat up and his skin burning where Geralt is touching him. It’s such a gentle and sweet gesture, he doesn’t know what to do with it.

“Excuse me?”

The moment is broken by the interruption and Jaskier looks over Geralt’s shoulder at the customer that has just stepped up to the counter.

“I would like to place an order.”

Geralt sighs and a stern expression slips back into place. He steps away from Jaskier and turns around. “What can I get you?” He asks and the customer flinches visibly.

This time, Jaskier thinks, he’s earned Geralt’s gruffness.

\--

They don’t speak about their moment in the coffee shop after this. Of course they don’t. Geralt would never bring it up anyway and Jaskier actually doesn’t know how to. While he usually never stops talking, he’s quite bad at using his words in a proper way when it counts, and on top of all that, he doesn’t know how to talk about something like that anyway.

No matter how much Jaskier wants to love and be loved, he has never had a serious relationship before in his life. He has wanted to, so many times. He has tried to find it in different beds and different arms, but he’s never managed to and then he has met Geralt and all his talk about romance and love had flown out of the window in that night in Posada. Jaskier surely doesn’t want to be shallow, but Geralt is a very attractive man and he would be stupid if didn’t acknowledge that. His interest in him back then had been purely small-minded. He had laid his eyes on Geralt and known immediately that he wanted to bed him. However the more Jaskier gets to know him, the deeper his feelings for Geralt run.

They have long gone past lust and have developed into an open and pure love for the man. He can’t even pinpoint what it is exactly that draws him towards Geralt. It’s the whole package, probably, the fact that they are completely and utterly different. And yet he knows that Geralt has a gentle heart, deep under his hard shell, just like Jaskier does. He wants to help people and to make them happy and Jaskier wants to bring that out in him. He wants to help Geralt do it, to support him in this and make sure he’s well received with other people. After all, he’s seen Geralt do little things for him, or even big things. Deep down he’s starting to care for Jaskier and it means more to him than he can put into words.

It might be stupid, obviously, but Jaskier wouldn’t be Jaskier if he wasn’t stupid. He often enough has tried to make the most of weird situations and he will make the most out of the situation with Geralt. It will take probably longer than he can imagine for him to bring Geralt to show him his feelings or even actually say something, but Jaskier is determined to power through it. After all, there are enough little things Geralt has done that have shown Jaskier just how much Geralt cares for him. It’s not just presents or touches, but looks and smiles are what drive it really home for Jaskier. He’s tearing down Geralt’s walls slowly but surely with determination.

\--

Most of Jaskier’s gigs end up being in Triss’s pub and thankfully it’s just a short walk from his flat over there. He’s just got to hop out, head over the street and follow the banks of the river before he has to turn into a small alley where a lot of pubs are lines up. He loves playing there, loves the atmosphere Triss’s pub offers and the money the tourists offer him as tip. But sometimes he ends up having gigs in bars on the other end of the town, his favourite ones located in Hauteville. To get there though Jaskier has to take the subway. 

Every time Geralt asks to accompany him and he sits next to him on the train, their legs touching because of the tight space, Jaskier feels a soft shiver run down his spine, Jaskier’s guitar case resting between his legs and giving him something to hold onto. Sometimes they end up being pressed close together in the tight crowd of the evening rush hour and Geralt’s arm sneaks around Jaskier’s middle to pull him in, as if he wanted to shield Jaskier away from the world.

For the moment of the train ride Jaskier wants to pretend that this is more than it is, that this is a relationship, a real one, that it’s not just friendship with the occasional weird flirting here or there. Then he leans against Geralt’s broad chest and doesn’t say anything because he doesn’t want to ruin the moment because it feels like Geralt is enjoying this, too.

But he thinks he knows why Geralt doesn’t take it a step further. He’s afraid, most probably, of starting something and maybe inviting Jaskier into his life and into his family, introducing him to Ciri and then, if their relationship didn’t work out, Jaskier would be gone all of a sudden. Of course Jaskier understands that and he knows that Geralt just wants to be protective. But he wants to say that he would never do anything in his power to actively hurt Geralt or Ciri, even though he doesn’t know her yet. He just knows how important she is to Geralt and he wouldn’t risk anything or do anything stupid, if he can help it.

However, Jaskier doesn’t have the words for it. He doesn’t know how to start a conversation that would change the entire course of their friendship, their relationship. It’s what Jaskier is afraid of, the change he can’t muster to face. So instead he cherishes these little moments and allows himself to pretend, even though it’s wrong because there can never come something real out of this if he doesn’t uses his words to speak up and turn it into something proper.

\--

Eventually Geralt not only accompanies Jaskier to his gigs across town, like the biggest fan and muse he is, he also starts hanging out at Jaskier’s flat. They end up having dinner together or lunch, talking for hours or just watch a movie without having deep conversations. It’s a luxury Jaskier allows himself to have because sometimes even he doesn’t have to talk. 

Luckily most times Valdo isn’t there since he’s still trying to chase his own musical career in vain, but the few times he is, Jaskier manages to shoo him away via text before he and Geralt make their way back to the flat since he doesn’t want him there when he spends time with Geralt or to ruin the mood.

But when they finally meet, Valdo is quite obviously impressed by Geralt, his appearance . He eyes him up and down and raises an eyebrow. “I didn’t know Jaskier had friends like you,” he comments and looks over to his roommate, making Jaskier roll his eyes.

“In contrary to you I do have real friends,” Jaskier comments and he can see that Geralt’s mouth twitches in what Jaskier has come to learn is an amused smile.

“So, Geralt. What do you make of Jaskier’s music then?” Valdo asks and watches him curiously.

“It’s good. I like it.”

Jaskier nods proudly because that’s probably the best compliment he can get from Geralt and he feels his chest swell with pride. “He’s got taste.”

Valdo shrugs. “Or he’s biased because he’s your friend,” he comments and waves his hand around making Jaskier roll his eyes again. It’s a habit he can’t shake whenever Valdo opens his mouth and nonsense tumbles out of it. He hates the man with all his heart and he’s not having him badmouthing his music, not with Geralt there. Jaskier always wants to leave a good impression with Geralt, wants him to like his music and even though Geralt has said so, he doesn’t want Valdo to change his mind. Not that he really thinks Valdo could do that because Geralt is quite the strong minded man. But Jaskier doesn’t want to risk it.

Before he can say anything though, Geralt lets out a grunt and brings out his hand and yanks Jaskier back by the shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze. “I’m not biased. I always tell my honest opinion,” Geralt replies and watches Valdo closely, a dark look on his face. It’s clear that Geralt doesn’t like him either, making Jaskier push out his chin in pride, feeling reassurance wash over him. Geralt, for all his gruffness and grumpiness, is a connoisseur of human nature and a good judge of character. If he doesn’t like Valdo either, Jaskier definitely hasn’t imagined things. Not that he had thought he did. Jaskier is a great judge of character himself.

“And that is that you like Jaskier’s music. And Jaskier?” Valdo asks back, raising his eyebrows.

“Yes,” Geralt says, unimpressed. Jaskier could kiss him for it. Of course he doesn’t do that, after all Geralt and him aren’t there yet. But eventually, he will, he’s sure of it.

Valdo hums. “Well, I’m sorry, but then you don’t have taste in music.”

“I have never heard you play in Beauclair’s best pub,” Geralt replies, still unimpressed by Valdo’s remarks and his ways to bring Geralt against Jaskier.

Valdo splutters at that. “I have played in enough pubs!” He exclaims and pushes out his chest, obviously trying to find his footing. “I have considered of moving to Cidaris, if you must know. They have offered me a job there, a proper job.”

“Oh really?” Jaskier asks, his attention perking up at that. While he had tried to find a solution to chuck Valdo out of his flat, he didn’t think it would be this easy as offering him a job in a town at the sea. He might have a problem to pay his rent then, having to fall back onto his savings, but maybe he’ll just work twice as hard or ask Triss for a raise in his performance fees. It might be a solution. After all, she could charge higher entry fees. More and more people have come to the gigs and the more people are interested in hearing him play, the more are willing to pay to do so. Jaskier will come up with something. He’s always managed to do so, not once having to ask his parents for money in all the years he’s started working as a musician and he’s definitely not going to start now, not when he’s got the prospect of Valdo moving out served on a silver tray.

“Yes. I am considering taking the offer,” Valdo says and pushes his chin a little higher, still trying to make himself look taller than he is. Considering he’s facing Geralt it’s a wild-goose chase. “They do know how to appreciate art and have taste. So they don’t take in everyone, only the best. They’d never offer the job to someone like you, who is a talentless wastrel who panders to the taste of the masses.”

Jaskier shrugs, unimpressed by Valdo’s insults for once in his life. Normally he would react rather impulsively but having Geralt there next to him, who clearly offers him calm support, makes him think a little more about his answer. “At least that’s what will bring me fame and fortune someday, in contrary to you, who’s a tasteless hipster and whose music is just bad.” It’s a weak comeback but Jaskier doesn’t want to spend too much time to think of anything better to reply. His thoughts and words are precious and he doesn’t want to waste them on Valdo, not when Geralt is there and they are about to spend a lovely evening together.

Valdo huffs at that and then turns around on his heels, stalking away towards his room. He slams his door shut, making Jaskier roll his eyes at that. “Sorry about him.”

“There’s nothing you need to be sorry for, Jaskier,” Geralt says and shakes his head, giving him a soft and amused look. “Don’t let him tell you what to think about your music. It’s great.” He squeezes Jaskier’s shoulder again, making him feel warm all over. “I mean, as far as I can tell.”

Immediately Jaskier’s face breaks into a grin and he leans forward to grab Geralt’s arms with both of his hands, giving them a good squeeze in return. “Thank you Geralt, that means the world to me,” he tells him and beams up at him. He doesn’t wrap it into a joke, not right now when the honesty Geralt has blessed him with means more to Jaskier than anything else.

While Geralt claims to be a man who doesn’t care a lot about music, he’s spent so much time at Jaskier’s gigs or listening to him whine and bitch about his music at the coffee shop when the right words or tune just wouldn’t come to him. Maybe Geralt has learned a lot about music himself while spending so much time being exposed to it.

\--

Sometimes he can just sit next to Geralt on the sofa and watch Friends because Geralt has never seen an episode in his life before.

“I can’t believe you haven’t seen it!” Jaskier had exclaimed and thrown up his hands before he had put them in his hips. “We’re so watching that. No. You’re not allowed to give me that face. You’ll love Chandler. I swear.”

And with that it was settled. Whenever Jaskier doesn’t have a gig, Geralt and he cook dinner together and watch a few episodes of Friends at his flat, just sitting next to each other on the sofa, their legs touching. Sometimes Geralt puts his arm on the backrest and Jaskier leans his head back, letting it rest against his arm. It’s nice and intimate and Jaskier likes it more than he wants to admit to Geralt just yet. So he doesn’t say anything, just enjoys their quiet time together.

Not only does Geralt come back home to Jaskier’s flat to watch sitcoms with him or cook food, sometimes he just accompanies him to listen to Jaskier write new music. He sits on Jaskier’s sofa while Jaskier sits in the arm chair, guitar on his lap as he strums the chords, looking for more and better music to write. It’s nice to have Geralt there, as some sort of muse and when Jaskier looks up, Geralt is watching him with an almost soft expression and sometimes even a smile.

It makes Jaskier’s heart warm and his stomach flutter and maybe this is what he has been singing about in all of his songs, this kind of love. Because that’s what he is feeling, he knows it deep down in his heart. It makes him happy, to cherish these moments, small and simple and yet so full of promises.

\--

Of course their little bantering and flirting doesn’t go unnoticed by Yennefer or Triss. After all, Geralt and Jaskier spend a lot of time together, more time than normal co-workers do. However neither Yennefer nor Triss says something to them, even though Jaskier notices their knowing smiles when they watch them and he’s quite sure that Geralt notices them as well, even though he doesn’t say anything.

In all the time they spend as friends, working at the coffee shop together or spending their free time with each other, they never once go back to Geralt’s flat though. Jaskier doesn’t really think about it. Of course he understands Geralt’s reasoning, without Geralt having to say anything. Although he would love to meet Ciri, Jaskier understands that Geralt doesn’t want to burden the child with something, especially if she is still undergoing trauma. Not that he knows she does, Geralt is doing his best to talk about her as little as possible. But he assumes she is, considering she apparently lost her parents and has now come to live with her godfather. What Geralt and he have is more complicated than a relationship. It’s something that can blossom into one though, at least if Geralt will let it happen.

Jaskier does, however, have the hope that something can develop between Geralt and him, something more than what they have right now. Dates and cooked dinners and hanging out in pubs together after Jaskier’s concerts are one thing. But actually starting a relationship, and Jaskier by now is sure that he wants to start one with Geralt, is something else.

It will take a lot of work and finally it would take some kissing. But Jaskier doesn’t want to force it, especially since they have such a delicate thing going on. He likes their easy banter with each other, the way Geralt keeps pulling Jaskier’s leg about his music but how he keeps defending him to whomever might bash it. Geralt is a good guy and Jaskier will be damned if he fucks it up this time around.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [crownheartsteacup](http://crownheartsteacup.tumblr.com) is the best person in the world and she's the best for reading this over. <3  
> All remaining mistakes are my own. 
> 
> And thank you to the 4-5 people who comment and make me feel like uploading a chapter is not a waste of my time. You make me insanely happy. <3

Jaskier hums contently to himself as he steps into the streets on one particular nice morning in spring. Seeing the flowers grow, their blossoms slowly starting to bloom, always makes his heart grow a little bigger. Spring is Jaskier’s favourite season, it reminds him that after a grim and cold winter, new life and hope blossoms. Even though last winter hadn’t been as cold as it probably could have been. Having had Geralt around, spending all this time with him and simply enjoying life to the fullest, has probably been the best time in Jaskier’s life. Finally everything is slotting into place for him. There’s a melody in his mind, new and precious and it sounds like love and hope combined, like a new song is forming in his head.

“Good morning Geralt,” he chirps, in a particularly good mood this morning as he strolls into the coffee shop. Geralt and he definitely are on the right track, he thinks. They have spent so much time together already and have become friends that he simply cannot hide his happiness. Jaskier has always been someone who wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s never been good at hiding his feelings from showing up on his face.

So far Jaskier hasn’t spent this much time with someone just purely out of reasons of friendship, especially if he is flirting so much with them. But with Geralt it’s different. Their relationship is like a delicate flower, one that is slowly starting to bloom and eventually will turn into a great blossom, with the right treatment and fertiliser. Jaskier feels like this spring will bring not only blossoms to the people of Beauclair but it will also blossom his relationship with Geralt. He definitely is one for metaphors on this fine morning.

Geralt greats him with a raised eyebrow. “Jaskier,” he says and nods, going back to setting out everything for the day, a routine task they have done so many times before.

Jaskier’s smile widens as he watches him. He loves having the early shift with Geralt, seeing as he slowly wakes up to become suitable for work, his gruffness slowly leaving his body for a different kind of grumpiness. It’s not as bad as it was in the beginning and he’s definitely getting better at working the early shifts, being even borderline friendly to people who just want to order a nice latte in the morning rush to work. Jaskier prides himself into thinking he’s the reason for this, for Geralt to become sort of more talkative in the mornings.

It’s not as if he’s chatting Jaskier’s ear off, but most of the times he does say more things than he’s ever done before and sometimes they even can be witty and funny. Geralt’s got a rather dry and sarcastic kind of humour which is a thing of beauty to witness. It’s a rare thing for Jaskier to experience and he loves it every time it’s directed at him. Maybe it’s Geralt’s way of showing him just how much Jaskier means to him as well. Jaskier has noticed that Geralt isn’t as friendly with Yennefer when she’s in the coffee shop early.

It might be due to the fact that Yennefer isn’t a morning person either and two bad moods don’t make a good one yet, but Jaskier definitely doesn’t want to prod a sleeping bear. If the two of them have made some sort of arrangement how to work alongside each other in the early mornings barely talking to each other, he’s definitely not going to interfere. As long as he’s working with Geralt each shift, because Yennefer is still taking care that they do, he doesn’t have to work with Cahir. The newest addition to their team leaves goose bumps all over Jaskier’s body and definitely not in a good way. There is something about him, something weird he can’t quite put his finger on. It’s almost like with Yennefer, although not quite. Jaskier just doesn’t like him and he’s glad that he gets to shift around working with him.

Geralt and Yennefer, however, seem to get along quite nicely with him and Jaskier really isn’t sure what that is saying about his judge of character, but he is definitely not going to get into further detail. After all, it’s not his coffee shop, so it’s none of his business.

Jaskier keeps humming to himself as he gets ready for work himself, putting on his apron and making sure he starts the coffee maker. Not only the spring weather is getting to him, but he’s had a marvellous gig the night before, his music career slowly but surely setting off into the right direction as well. According to Triss the right people are noticing Jaskier and she’s promised him to talk to a few friends of hers in the music industry. As far as Jaskier can tell, she knows a rather big shot agent and Jaskier would be honoured if she actually takes him in.

No matter what, it seems like things are picking up for Jaskier and for once, they are going in the right direction.

\--

Geralt doesn’t seem to warm up this morning though. There is something going on that leaves his shoulders too tense whenever Jaskier turns to talk to him and his mood stays sour almost all morning. No matter how often Jaskier tries to cheer him up, Geralt stays gruff, ot even one of his small smiles tugging at his lips.

Even the customers seem to notice it, the regular ones especially. They still leave their tip anyway but not with a smile or a few words like they usually do. One woman frowns at Geralt before her gaze flicks to Jaskier as if to ask him what’s wrong. Jaskier just shrugs in response because he doesn’t know. He can’t look into Geralt’s head and whether or not he would want to, he’s not quite sure he’d like what he’d find there.

“Are you alright?” Jaskier asks eventually in a quiet moment, as no new customers have entered the shop and the old ones are all served. “You seem in a sour mood this morning. Even grumpier than usual.”

“I’m fine,” Geralt replies gruffly and turns away from Jaskier, who lets out a frustrated sigh.

“Bullshit,” he says and follows Geralt, peeking over his shoulder. “I can see that you’re everything but fine, Geralt. What’s wrong? You can talk to me. I’m a good listener.”

“I don’t want to talk.”

“You never do, and yet, you end up talking to me often enough,” Jaskier insists, watching him worriedly. “You’re my friend, Geralt, and I care for you.”

“We’re not friends.”

“Now you’re just trying hurt my feelings,” Jaskier sniffs and straightens his back, trying not to let Geralt’s words get to him. Of course he knows that Geralt is just in a mood and doesn’t mean it when he says these things. Jaskier won’t let it affect him. “Fine, then we’re not friends. But you’ll have to admit that we’re colleagues at least. So, what’s wrong? Have you gotten up on the wrong side of the bed today?”

Geralt grunts, as usual when he doesn’t want to answer to one of Jaskier’s question and Jaskier can’t blame him. They have played this game often enough by now. He should know when to leave Geralt alone. But this time it doesn’t feel like he should. He has the feeling he should prod and poke and try to get an answer out of Geralt. Deep down he’s got the feeling that Geralt is cross with him, even though Jaskier can’t really fathom any reason why he could be.

“Hm, what?” He asks then because he doesn’t want to take Geralt’s grunt for an answer this time.

“I didn’t sleep well,” Geralt finally replies.

“Ha. That’s good. Well, no, it’s not, obviously” Jaskier quickly reassures Geralt when he stares at him. “Of course insomnia is really bad for you. I get that. I do. But it’s not a reason to let it out on customers. Or me. Is it, Geralt? Hm? Neither of us is responsible for your sleepless nights. So please, pull yourself together.”

Geralt gives him a dark look but finally sighs, his shoulders slumping a little. “You’re right,” he says and Jaskier’s eyebrows shoot up. “I apologise.”

“What?”

“Don’t make me say it again, Jaskier.”

Jaskier gasps. “I won’t. I just... I never expected you to say these words in the first place,” he admits and watches Geralt closely, taking in his slumped shoulders and the sad look on his face. Before Jaskier can say anything else though Geralt turns back to the coffee maker, showing him that the conversation is definitely over for him, no matter how much Jaskier would like to continue.

“Go back to work, Jaskier.” There is, however, a small smile tugging Geralt’s lips upwards and Jaskier can’t help but smile in return as he turns back to his own work, turning his back to Geralt.

“You know, we could grab lunch after our shift, if you wanted?” He offers and presses his lips together, waiting for an answer. He doesn’t look back at Geralt, just listens and hopes that Geralt will take him up on the offer.

“I’ll think about it,” Geralt says eventually and Jaskier counts it as another win.

\--

Despite Geralt’s general grumpiness Jaskier’s mood continues to stay good and happy for the rest of the day. He prides himself into bullying Geralt into a mood that optimistic people would describe as “better” as well. It might be one of his hidden talents, the ones he hasn’t discovered yet. Besides music and poetry Jaskier is also extremely good in cheering up Geralt of Rivia. Not quite something he should put on his resume. Snickering to himself he grabs the list he usually uses to check up on the supplies. He’s made his way back into the supply room as an excuse to get out of the shop some time after Cahir came in to start his work. Lately Jaskier has had the luck that their shifts often enough overlapped.

He pushes the new ladder – this time a metal one – into place and is just about to step onto it when the sound of Geralt’s voice makes him look up.

“Yennefer. We have to talk.”

He’s been too caught up into his good mood and checking in on the supplies that he hadn’t even noticed Yennefer walk into her office. Normally Jaskier prides himself into thinking that he’s got rather good senses, but apparently he’s been proven wrong. He presses his lips together and looks around the room, trying to contemplate what to do. He should make himself known, let them know he’s back here, but he also doesn’t want to interfere. There is something about the tone of Geralt’s voice that makes Jaskier stop and listen. He sounds strained and Jaskier, even though he knows that eavesdropping is wrong, just wants to help.

“Geralt. Please, do come in.” Yennefer sighs and it sounds like she closes her laptop, too, so Jaskier can easily imagine her giving him an unimpressed look. “What can I do for you?”

“There is nothing wrong with Jaskier. No one out there is trying to murder him. I might. Soon. But no one else.”

What? Jaskier blinks. Yennefer thought someone tried to murder him?

Yennefer laughs softly and folds her hands, cocking her head to the side. “So everything is fine? The accidents that keep happening?”

“Accidents.”

“Even if they happen at a quite... unusual rate?”

“Coincidences.”

“Hm. Interesting.”

Jaskier frowns at that, his brain trying to catch on what the two of them are talking about. He can’t quite comprehend it. Did Yennefer hire someone – Geralt – in order to look out for Jaskier? So the first initial thought Jaskier had about Geralt being some sort of secret agent has been true after all. Or maybe a bodyguard of some kind at least. Whatever it is, it’s all a bit much and he feels his head starting to hurt, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He feels bad for eavesdropping on a conversation that’s clearly not meant for him. But he can’t make himself known now, not when they have already started talking about him.

“He’s just exceptionally clumsy.” Geralt lets out a small grunt. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but there’s nothing wrong with your barista.” His voice sounds incredibly fond though and Jaskier presses his lips together, trying to hold back the smile from spreading out. “Well, aside from him being... him.”

“I’d like to think he’s your barista, too,” Yennefer replies with a soft laugh. “He might be my employee, but only bound to me by contract.”

“Hm.” Geralt sound too impressed by it and Jaskier can easily imagine the look on his face.

Yennefer chuckles. “Well. It was worth a try. I really did think someone would want him harm. After all, he is a thriving musician. I do think that he will be famous one day. Triss agrees.” There’s a pause before Yennefer continues. “Are you going to go back to your normal job then?”

Geralt grunts. “I have actually thought about finding something else to do. Now that I’m not only caring for me and Roach.”

“Oh?” Yennefer just inquires, the information quite obviously new to her.

“I’ve became legal guardian for a child.”

“You.” Yennefer laughs loudly. “You? A legal guardian?”

“I’m the only one the girl has left. I’m her godfather. Her family has died in a tragic accident. I’m going to adopt her. But first I need to find another job.”

Yennefer hums in agreement. “Doing what you do is not suitable for a child,” she agrees, the sound of her voice bitter and yet understanding. Jaskier frowns some more. He really would love to know what it is that Geralt is doing for a living, has been doing before all of this. It feels a bit like he’s been hit on the head, his mind only slowly catching up to what he’s hearing. “But it’s interesting. The last time we spoke about quitting you didn’t mention something like that.”

“I didn’t know about that then. It came as quite the surprise,” Geralt says gruffly. “But I want to provide for her and offer her the best life possible. That’s not me being gone for a longer period of time and you know it’s definitely not a job on which I can take her along with me.”

“Where is she now?” 

“Vesemir is looking after her.”

“Of course he is.” Yennefer laughs, sounding fond despite herself.

“He raised me. He’s a good man.”

“As capable of showing emotion as you are.” She sighs and Jaskier can picture her crossing her arms over her chest. “How many jobs do you have to finish? After this, then.”

“About two. Nothing major. It shouldn’t take long,” Geralt says and finally pushes away from the wall, moving over to the door.

“Will you say goodbye to Jaskier?” Yennefer asks.

“It’s for the best if I don’t.”

Yennefer laughs softly. “If you don’t want him to get any ideas, I do think it’s a little too late for that, Geralt. And you know it. He’s in love with you. Just like you are with him.”

“He picked the wrong man to be in love with,” Geralt replies gruffly and finally leaves the room, leaving Yennefer to sigh at that.

“Great. Now let’s take a guess who’s got to pick up the pieces of a broken heart. As if I don’t have enough matters at my hands,” she murmurs to herself before she gets up and leaves the office as well.

Jaskier swallows and leans forward, leaning his forehead against the cool surface of the wall in the storage room. He didn’t plan on listening in and it would have been better if he hadn’t heard all of this. Of course Geralt would never be with someone like him. He’s good enough for one night, fun and games as long as there is no commitment. He’s a burden for everyone. He closes his eyes, trying to prevent the tears that form from falling.

He can’t believe that Yennefer hired someone to spy on him, to find out whether or not someone has set out to kill him. He’s a nobody, not interesting enough to have someone hold a grudge over him. Valdo, maybe. But he’s too much of an idiot to have him killed, Jaskier is sure of that. And he could have done it himself, in their flat, whenever they were alone. Even now that he has moved out, he could have still traps for Jaskier to make it look like an accident. But Valdo isn’t capable of doing something like that. Jaskier can’t wrap his head around it, that Yennefer actually thought someone would want him harm, would want to see him dead. He might be annoying sometimes, but never so much like someone wanting to physically harm him more than the occasional punch to the gut.

But the worst part about all of this, about Jaskier listening in to a conversation that wasn’t meant for him, is the knowledge that Geralt spending time with him, trying to get to know him, was actually just Geralt doing his job. Jaskier feels like a hand has wrapped around his heart and started to clench it. Suddenly it becomes too hard for him to breath and he turns around, leaning his back against the cool surface of the wall. He sinks down on the ground, pulling up his knees, squeezing his eyes tightly shut.

The realisation of this hits too hard. It hurts to be used like this, to have Geralt see him as a job and nothing more, that the way he has flirted with him, has tried to get to Jaskier so he could find out if someone was trying to murder him. All of it was a lie, every talk they had, every time they hung out together at Jaskier’s, everything. He has actually thought Geralt cares for him, that Geralt likes him back, might even love him. No matter what Yennefer said, Jaskier doesn’t believe that Geralt’s feelings for him are real. If he really is what Jaskier suspects, then he’s too much of a professional to let his feelings get in the way of a job. No wonder he was never invited to Geralt’s, that he never got to learn anything about him about the very few details he’s let slipped. At least they weren’t fake. Jaskier doubts that Geralt would lie to Yennefer as well, not about something important as having to take care of a child.

Jaskier frowns some more at that and hides his face against his knees, wrapping his arms around it. It hurts more than he wants to let on, his heart crumbling in his chest under the pressure of a broken love. He might be a bit dramatic, but he can’t help it. He might love with all his heart, but he suffers with it as well.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [crownheartsteacup](http://crownheartsteacup.tumblr.com) is the best person in the world and she's the best for reading this over. <3  
> All remaining mistakes are my own.

Heartbroken as Jaskier is, he just wants to spend his days lying in bed, trying to figure out what his life has become. Everything had been perfect before Geralt actually did as he said to Yennefer and left without even a word to Jaskier. Everything had been going in the right direction for him, his music, his possible love life, his social life, everything slotting into place and making him happy. Of course he didn’t get to keep it, because nothing ever works out for Jaskier the way he’s planned it. Destiny has her own rules, her own plans and Jaskier doesn’t know how to push up against that. How he is supposed to fight that. 

But obviously he doesn’t get to stay in his bed all day long. He’s got to get up and earn money to pay for his rent and his musical career. Now that Valdo has moved out, there is hardly any room left for him not to work and earn money. While he has managed to have a few savings, he still has to work in order to be able to pay for his flat.

So he drags himself out of bed every morning and tries to put on a happy face for his customers. It works for those who don’t pay him too much attention, and that’s all Jaskier can bring himself to care about. He gets his tip money and the customers are happy. At least then someone is. He doesn’t even feel bothered by Cahir working alongside him, the scary looks on the man’s face almost reminding him of Geralt and while that should hurt, it gives Jaskier a bit of reassurance.

Yennefer sends pitiful gazes his way and he doesn’t know what’s worse. The fact that she knows about his feelings for Geralt or that she knows why Geralt has left. He wants to ask, wants to know what all of this has been about and why the fuck Geralt has been there to look out for Jaskier like an overpaid bodyguard of sorts. 

Jaskier still can’t believe he’s been foolish enough to fall for all of this, to give his heart away so freely and openly, like he always does. It’s been a job to Geralt, nothing more. Maybe he really used to be some sort of private investigator, a secret agent of sorts. As much as Jaskier would love to know, he also doesn’t care. It’s not going to change anything for him if he finds out because knowing for sure will only make it worse, will only drive it home how little he had meant to Geralt all this time they have worked together.

He tries to get over Geralt, over Geralt leaving him without so much as a word. Jaskier is left with a broken heart to fix and mend. Over the next two months he tries to move on, tries to find solace with other people, people that look nothing like Geralt. He meets the Countess de Stael and does his best to fall for her for a while because Jaskier is someone who has a lot of love to give. But in the end she is just, like most of the people he meets, a fling to cover the wounds of his broken heart. 

Sure, he actually has nothing to be broken hearted about. Ever since they met again, Geralt and he never kissed, never been more than friends or colleagues, only had that one night in Posada long before that. But Jaskier fell in love over the course of the months they had been working together, the easiness between them and the things he got to know about Geralt making it easy for him to love so freely, to give away his heart only to have it handed back to him in pieces.

At least, and that’s somewhat reassuring to know, Geralt didn’t lie about his family, about having to take care of his goddaughter. If he had, Jaskier didn’t know what to do. He felt special when Geralt had shared that kind of personal information with him, quite early on in their companionship, and he takes a bit of pride in that that Geralt trusted him enough for that. After all, not even Yennefer knew about that and they go way back.

But it’s a weak comfort, seeing as it didn’t get him anywhere. He’s still alone and on top of that he is now also heartbroken. The only constant and probably only comfort in his life he’s got right now is his music. So instead of healing his broken heart as quick as he can, he decides to channel it into his music, write about his feelings. Whenever he doesn’t play at the pub – at least Triss pays him some more money for his gigs now probably because she feels sorry for him as well – he sits at home, guitar on his lap and strums a few chords, trying to find a melody for the words that come to him so easily.

He manages to pour all of his heartache into that one song, the song about Geralt. Of course it’s sad and yet incredibly optimistic because Jaskier couldn’t wish Geralt harm if he wanted to. He sings about his heartbreak and that he knows that Geralt doesn’t have a heart of stone because of the family he picked and now chose to take care of, to focus all of his attention on that. It’s the choices he’s made, setting priorities. And Jaskier is not a priority. But he’s okay with it, or at least he’s doing his best to learn how to be okay with it. Because he can’t hold it against Geralt. 

He’s not as gruff and cold as he pretends to be. He’s got a gentle heart, looking out for the people he loves. There just isn’t room in Geralt’s life for Jaskier.

When he plays the song to Triss and Yennefer, his biggest critics, next to Geralt, the two women give him sad looks. “It’s a beautiful song, Jaskier,” Triss says softly. “Heart wrenching. Yet there is a glimmer of hope. I like that.”

“Of course you would,” Yennefer comments and gives her a fond look. “It would have been better if you ended it with despair and hopelessness. But I guess it’s better fitting for the masses if it’s not as depressing.”

Triss chuckles. “Don’t listen to her. The melody is quite happy and the last line gives a bit of hope. I really like that. I’m sure you will find someone you can love like that again, Jaskier.”

Jaskier smiles back at that, weakly, and has nothing to say. Of course he wants to find someone else he can love as much as he loved Geralt. However, he’s not quite sure he’ll manage. He’s tried and failed, his heart not ready to love again like this. In the beginning he did have a feeling that destiny brought Geralt and him together again and now that they’ve been separated, he’s not sure he’ll ever meet him again. He doesn’t even know where Geralt lives, let alone what he does for a living now. “Thank you, Triss. Yennefer,” he says eventually and nods, trying to bring his focus back on what’s important to him.

At least he’s got his music.

\--

In the end it’s Triss who kicks off the thing that finally changes something for him. She sends his demo to a befriended agent and before Jaskier knows it he gets a call to a studio in downtown Beauclair. It’s beautiful, nicely coloured and spacious, leaving enough room for drum sets, keyboards and guitars. Big bands have recorded their music there and Jaskier feels the history in the walls as he follows the agent down the hallways towards the recording studio. Renfri, as the agent introduces herself to him, takes great pleasure and interest in meeting him.

“Triss didn’t lie when she said she knew someone with talent,” she comments and stuffs her phone into the pockets of the expensive looking suit she’s wearing. “I can’t believe she kept you to herself for this long. I’m going to make you famous, Julian.”

“Jaskier, please,” Jaskier corrects, out of habit, mostly. He’s grown so used to his name that he started to feel uncomfortable when people addressed him with anything but.

Renfri ‘s smile becomes even wider at that. “Oh, I like your attitude,” she says and places her hand in the small of his back, giving him a gentle push into the studio. “We’ll make you big, Jaskier.”

He doesn’t really know what happens to him after that but he lets everything wash over him. It’s what he has always wanted, recording his music in a place like this and maybe being able to live off it, if he gets lucky just this once.

Afterwards they get to sit down in a big conference room and suddenly there’s a contract shoved in his face and before Jaskier knows it he is actually famous, his album at the top of the charts, his single with the most original title ever – “Heartbreak” – on top of the single charts as well and he doesn’t know when it happened or why but his face is smiling from billboards and he gets invited into TV shows, travelling from one major city to the next.

A tour is set up for him, his first tour ever, playing in small venues all over the countries over the next year and it’s everything he’s ever wanted and more he’s dared to hope to achieve. Yet it still isn’t what his heart desires the most and he still feels the emptiness in his chest when he thinks back or in some interviews even gets asked about who inspired his most famous song, thinks back about the time he’s spent with Geralt and how happy he’s been then. Every time he sings the song on stage, he pours everything he feels into it, hoping, deep down, in the bottom of his heart, that Geralt gets to listen to it someday and will recognise their story in his song.

The fame and the fortune that comes with a number one single and the fans are great. But it’s nothing to make Jaskier truly happy. He’s not even sure touring the continent will change that. Sure, he’s often dreamed of wanting to see the world. And he’s thought he’d manage to do so some day, but he’s thought he’d have someone by his side who would hold his hand and comment on it with him, about the deceit of it all, how people fake their interest in him. And while he loves spending time with different people, getting to know them and networking, it still doesn’t fill his heart with joy. It all feels slightly off-kilter, like it’s come at the wrong time in the first place and then has gone too fast, catapulting him to fame nearly over night.

He doesn’t want to admit to himself that it’s Geralt who is missing. The cut the other man left still runs too deep. But Jaskier also knows that he would take him back into his life in an instant, should Geralt come to talk to him and apologise.

But the months go by and there is no sign of Geralt coming back to Jaskier’s life whatsoever. Jaskier can’t blame him. He’s made it clear to Yennefer that he doesn’t want Jaskier, doesn’t want to be loved or to love in return and Jaskier, who has always valued a simple principle, takes No for an answer. Jaskier is going to respect Geralt’s wishes.

Of course he probably could easily contact him. He’s got Geralt’s number after all, even though he suspects that Geralt has either blocked him or changed his number, just to cut Jaskier out of his life. Maybe, like proper James Bond attire, he has had his own phone just for Jaskier. But Jaskier was never really tempted, never drunk dialled Geralt or sent stupid texts he would regret the next morning. He’s got some self-preservation left at least because not getting an answer to an attempt of contact, to reaching out to Geralt and not get a reply, would shatter him and he knows it. While he wants Geralt’s love and to love him in return, Jaskier doesn’t want to have to beg for something he won’t be able to get. He doesn’t want to humiliate himself, make a fool of himself for asking Geralt to take him back when it’s Geralt who should apologise. Especially now since it’s been so long, it would be even more weird to just try and wiggle his way into Geralt’s life again.

Jaskier is tempted to whine to random strangers about the loss of his love, but he never does. He puts on a fake smile and a mask for the public, puts on his lovely and confident persona that is always happy instead of airing out his, or well Geralt’s, dirty laundry for the world to see. Of course he gets asked in interviews and TV shows about who is the love he has lost and sings about but he keeps it vague and stirs around the answers, talking about different people who experience different things. That, of course, it’s not autobiographic what he’s written. His family inquires as well, wanting to know the truth behind the lyrics, sounding worried about him. But Jaskier doesn’t feel like burdening his poor mother and father with the truth, so he keeps it to himself, tells them the same he tells the public and hopes they will buy it for it’s all he can offer. His mother gives him a rather knowing look but eventually she smiles, cups his cheek and tells him that it’s a beautiful song and he’ll find love and happiness once he’s able to open his heart again. Jaskier smiles back and leans in to kiss his mother’s cheek.

Yennefer, of course, knows better. So when Jaskier returns from his first tour to Beauclair and asks for his old job back, just a few hours a week of normality and not needing to think about the pressure of coming up with a new hit single, she hires him back without hesitation. “I thought I’d finally gotten rid of you,” she comments and sighs, leaning back against the counter.

“You’ll never get rid of me,” Jaskier promises and smiles at her, glad that she took him in again. Of course, there is still something about her, something dark and weird, but Jaskier considers her a friend by now and he knows, that whether or not Yennefer or he want to admit it, they like having the other around, someone to count on when it really matters.

After all, Yennefer went through enough trouble to hire someone to investigate Jaskier’s clumsiness, thinking he was worthy of getting hunted down by a hitman or something similar. Jaskier is glad that he’s got her in his life. She and Triss being the two real friends he will keep with him forever.

***

Finally, Geralt is happy how his life turned out. At long last he got out of the agency, got rid of all of the problems that followed him home from the job. He’s got time for Ciri now, taking care of her, like he should. He can finally be the father for her she needs and deserves to have in her life. Now that he’s got a steady job, working as consultant for a security company, which still allows him to do some of the work he loved, but also come back home to Ciri without having to worry about blowing his cover, he could finally legalise the adoption as well. Now Ciri is his daughter to take care of, to make sure she’s got a good life. He likes coming home to her and Vesemir and Roach at night, knowing all of them are safe and sound, just like he did when he worked at the coffee shop. They are a strange but happy little family, everything going the way it’s supposed to be. Even though something or rather someone is missing from Geralt’s life.

Geralt walks into the kitchen to find Ciri cutting fruit for a small fruit salad, Roach sitting by her feet, panting patiently. The dog has found great liking to her, right from the start, and Geralt is happy that the two get along great. After all, it gives him some reassurance that someone will look out for Ciri when neither he nor Vesemir can do that.

“What’s that song you’re humming? I think I’ve heard it before,” he comments as he makes his way over to the fridge to get out a bottle of water, leaning back against the counter as he opens it to take a sip.

“It’s Heartbreak. You know? By Jaskier. It’s an amazing song! Everyone loves it. It was his first single and has been on number 1 for months before he put out the next one. Are you living under a rock?” Ciri laughs and shakes her head. “I know you don’t make much of music and art, Geralt. But it’s amazing. And he’s so humble! He still works at a coffee shop. Or again? Not sure. I think it’s the same you used to work at.”

“Jaskier?” Geralt asks and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. Of course it’s him. It can only be him. The chance of a coincidence this big, of someone choosing the same name and all that, is too slim to be even realistic. And the song title is quite fitting, considering Geralt went and broke his heart not too long ago.

“Yes. Oh, do you know him?” Ciri asks, giving him an excited look. “Oh my god, you do! Your face!” She laughs at that and finally turns around fully. “Is he the co-worker you wouldn’t stop talking about? The one who annoyed you all the time but you still went out to pubs with him?”

“What?” Geralt gives her a confused look. “I did not talk about him all the time.”

“You did,” Ciri says and chuckles. “All the time. I swear, Geralt.”

“You did,” Vesemir confirms. The old man is sitting at the table, not looking up from the crossword puzzle he is doing and Geralt shoots him a dark look before he turns his attention back to Ciri, gaze softening once more.

“Did you call him Julian? Or Alfred?” Ciri watches him closely, clearly curious about Jaskier’s and Geralt’s story. “Or does he go by Jaskier as well in his free time? That’s so cool! I didn’t think you knew cool people. You’re so boring and never share any details.”

“Jaskier isn’t cool,” Geralt replies, using his fingers to emphasis the word with quotation marks. He can’t believe Ciri is tricking him into having this conversation. It’s actually something he doesn’t want to talk about, doesn’t even want to think about. He’s hurt Jaskier, he knows that. Apparently enough for him to write a song about. He knew that before he vanished out of his life and left him to find someone better than Geralt, someone he could love without having to built a relationship on lies. Of course Geralt has known about Jaskier’s feelings for him, even before Yennefer confronted him. He has also been painfully aware of his own feelings for Jaskier, something he didn’t want to admit to himself for a long time.

But no matter if there were feelings for him, Geralt always knew and has known that he isn’t the man Jaskier needed in his life. He could never be. There are so many things wrong with him, so much stuff he needs to overcome before he could actually let feelings in. He doesn’t deserve someone like Jaskier, who loves so openly with so much to give and demanding so little in return. Geralt thinks Jaskier is better off without him, to find someone who can love him like he deserves and not someone like Geralt, who takes too long to show his emotions. Although he has gotten better over time, Ciri, and Jaskier, even though Geralt doesn’t want to admit it, having wormed their way into his heart, behind his walls. He is glad that he’s got Ciri in his life and he wouldn’t want to trade her for anything in the world.

“So you call him Jaskier, too.” Ciri sighs and leans back against the counter as well, mirroring Geralt’s pose. “That’s so sweet. You never mentioned his name, only ever talked about your _colleague_.” She snickers. “I’m not stupid, Geralt. I know these things.”

Geralt grumbles low in his chest and looks over to Vesemir. “Have you taught her that?”

“I have simply given her access to the internet,” the old man replies, finally looking up from his crossword puzzle.

Geralt gives him a dark look before he looks back to Ciri and sighs. “Well, yes. Jaskier and I used to work together at the coffee shop. I do know him,” he finally confirms it and then Ciri’s face undergoes a lot of different emotions for a thirteen year old and finally settles on realisation.

“Oh. Ohh. So the song’s about you!”

“What?” Geralt stares at her. “No.”

“Yes! It makes sense. Like, oh my god that line about the people you chose to love as a family is about me? You told him about me?” Ciri’s excitement turns into a sad look and she sighs. “Oh Geralt, you really did break his heart.” 

Geralt stares at her. “I don’t like having this conversation.”

“Of course you don’t,” Vesemir supplies helpfully. “Because she’s right.”

“Hm.”

“No. I’m not taking that for an answer.” Ciri points her hand at him in which she is still holding the knife and somehow Geralt feels more threatened by that than having to face a group of armed enemies. “You should talk to him, apologise. Maybe you could win him back.”

Geralt looks away, unable to answer her. He looks down at Roach, who’s tail starts to wag slowly but the dog stays where she is. Great, it’s three against one. It does feel like he hardly has a choice. Maybe he should listen to them. After all, Geralt still does have feelings for Jaskier.

Even though he hasn’t dared to admit it to himself, he’s came to realise it in the months, almost one and a half years, they haven’t seen each other. He’s missed the other man and as annoying as he was at times, he definitely misses having him in his life. Maybe Ciri is right and Geralt should talk to Jaskier, apologise and see if Jaskier wants to take him back. If he even wants to talk to him at all, that is. It would serve Geralt right if Jaskier didn’t. Maybe he even has already moved on. After all, Geralt has hurt him quite badly and he can only assume how Jaskier has felt since then, used and messed with because Geralt has been doing his job.

The problem was that while Geralt has tried to stay professional, Jaskier has managed to worm his way into Geralt’s heart. He’s snuck behind the walls Geralt had years to build. And now that the walls have been taken down, Geralt doesn’t know how to rebuild them, how to not love Jaskier in return. Geralt didn’t want to hurt him, but he also didn’t want to build a relationship based on lies. He just hopes that Jaskier will want to talk to him, to listen to his apology. And that he isn’t far too late by now.

But there is only one way of finding out.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [crownheartsteacup](http://crownheartsteacup.tumblr.com) is the best person in the world and she's the best for reading this over. <3  
> All remaining mistakes are my own.

Of course, since it became known that Jaskier works at the coffee shop again, numbers in customers have increased significantly. After all, it’s not normal for a world famous popstar to still brew people’s coffees and draw latte art all over their foam.

Yennefer is more than happy about the increase though, paying her workers a significant raise in salary in return. Jaskier, of course, refuses, because he doesn’t need it and while he appreciates the gesture, he also doesn’t want it. For him it’s not about the money anymore, that’s not why he’s here. He enjoys working at the coffee shop and he just wants a piece of his old life back, something that reminds him of once was, before all the fame, even though it’s only been a year since he became properly famous. He wants to pretend it’s how his life has been before Geralt walked back into it, even though he still can’t forget him. He couldn’t forget him the first time around and Jaskier definitely can’t forget him now. It’s not only that he’s haunted by Geralt every time he sings his songs, he also gets reminded about him wherever he looks around the coffee shop. But he still wouldn’t leave the shop behind voluntarily, it’s what keeps him sane and Yennefer is great at keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

He tries to keep his mind off of these things and tries to keep his focus on the customers and fans that pile into the store, everyone seeming to want a piece of Jaskier along with their coffee and pastries. While he feels flattered it is also a little bit scary. He has always wanted fame and fortune but he didn’t think he’d become that famous. He still feels like the same old Jaskier he was before all of this happened, before his world changed.

Working at the coffee shop helps with that as well because every morning Jaskier comes into the shop and unlocks the door, it still feels like he is the same old Jaskier who started working at the shop nearly four years ago.

He can’t believe how much time has passed since then, how much he has changed even though he still feels like the same old idiot he was when he first came to Beauclair. Unfortunately he has gone through so much, learned his lessons quite the hard way and it has moulded him into the person he is now. Deep down he knows that his heart is still broken and Jaskier isn’t quite sure if there is a way that it can be fixed that doesn’t involve Geralt. He knows that he doesn’t need him in his life for his own happiness because Jaskier has learned the hard way that happiness isn’t connected to love but deep down he would still take him back if Geralt walked back into his life. There’s no way Jaskier can pretend he wouldn’t because he knows himself too well for that.

Luckily Yennefer did her own kind of magic and took care of the paparazzi that lurked in front of the coffee shop to take photos of Jaskier working there in the beginning when people learned he was back working here. He doesn’t quite know what she and Renfri have come up with and he doesn’t think he wants to know, but he accepts the fact that there are women in his life who have taken over the control and are running businesses like the bosses they are. Jaskier doesn’t complain. He is happy to let them do so, being able to lean back and breathe for a moment and not think about stuff like that.

After all, both seem really good at their jobs and especially since Yennefer still does have something about her that makes everyone think twice about crossing her so Jaskier is more than glad to have her on his side. Of course, a friendly ribbing here or there doesn’t count.

\--

Jaskier takes his time to take his photos with fans when they ask, smiling into their cameras and signing t-shirts or phone cases. He’s gotten so used to being famous that it doesn’t even feel weird to him anymore, even though it should when they come to ask him for it at work. But on the other hand, he’s had a while to come to terms with it, with his fame, and now that he’s even had his tour and Renfri is breathing down his neck, asking for a second album, Jaskier finally understand what it’s like to be in the music industry. He will actually need to sit down on his arse to write more music because he’s got the feeling that Renfri is someone he definitely doesn’t want to anger.

The problem is, even though he knows words and melodies, nothing really wants to come to mind. It’s like with Geralt’s departure from his life, he has also taken Jaskier’s muse with him once he has written it all out. Maybe it wasn’t his smartest move, pouring all of his heartache into one album. Even though he has claimed that it’s not about him, he has never lied to himself. Of course the album is about his love life and the troubles he’s had with Geralt and writing it all out had been like a form of therapy for himself. Now, with him gone from Jaskier’s life, his inspiration for new music is gone as well, Jaskier feels as empty and broken as his heart.

Jaskier lets out a sigh of relief as he leans back against the counter. The first initial rush of the day has just down, the morning slowly but surely melting into midday, and only the occasional fans and some tourists walk into the shop from now on. Luckily he’s not alone and while he still doesn’t really like working with Cahir, he doesn’t mind having him there. He’s efficient at his job and he still manages to make a lot of tip, even though he’s made a baby cry once and the mother has left the shop horrified. 

Nowadays Jaskier is a lot calmer about the tip money because he doesn’t need it to survive anymore. If Cahir doesn’t want to be nice, it’s his problem if he doesn’t get any money out of it.

When the bell above the door jingles and Jaskier looks up, he gasps audibly. The moment his eyes meet Geralt’s everything comes flooding back, all of his feelings, his memories, the time they spent together and the moments they shared. He hates that he’s still got feelings for Geralt and that Geralt still holds so much power over him, although Jaskier has already tried to get over him. But he can’t fool himself, not when Geralt is standing right in front of him and he’s making him feel things he’s tried to bury deep down.

Luckily the store is somewhat empty and not many people are here to witness Jaskier’s reaction. He feels like a fool, staring at Geralt with no words coming out of his mouth, has hands actually grabbing the counter for support.

Cahir says something next to him and Geralt nods at him before his attention comes back to Jaskier. It pulls Jaskier back, making him blink and swallow as he watches Geralt, taking him in. He still looks the same, his hair long and white, forever in black clothes with only a hint of grey sprinkled in, amber eyes staring directly into Jaskier’s own and he swallows, at a loss for words. It doesn’t happen often that Jaskier doesn’t know what to say, but right now he doesn’t find the words even though he should scream at Geralt for breaking his heart, for leaving him to pick up the pieces after he left.

“I heard your song,” Geralt says and Jaskier snorts, breaking out of his trance.

“Good for you. You’ve not been living under a rock then. It’s been played on the radio, Geralt. _Everyone_ has heard that song.”

“It’s good.”

“Thank you. I know that.”

“Jaskier...” Geralt starts and looks around when more people enter the shop. He takes a step closer to the counter and thus towards Jaskier, lowering his voice. “I’m sorry. For leaving without saying goodbye. That was wrong. I shouldn’t have done that. But... it was easier. For me.” The last part comes out more than quiet and Jaskier sees that it costs Geralt a lot of strength to say these words. However, he won’t let him off the hook so easily. It’s good to hear these words after all this time, but it’s still not enough. Jaskier has been hurt and he’s suffered and he wants more than that to make it better, even though he knows, deep down in his heart, that he has already forgiven Geralt.

Jaskier sighs, keeping his voice low as well when he answers. “Are you sorry, too, for making me fall in love with you? Because that’s what I’m sorry for. That I’ve fallen in love with a big, dumb idiot.”

Geralt lets out a low grunt and looks down at his feet, actually quite hurt by Jaskier’s words as it seems. “I’m not sorry about that, Jaskier. I’m just sorry I hurt you. I wish I hadn’t. But there were and are certain things in my life...” He sighs, his gaze flicking to the other customers in the coffee shop who watch them curiously, trying to make out what they’re talking about. “Maybe we can talk about this someone more private?”

Jaskier, who knows exactly how bad Geralt is at this whole thing, how much he hates talking about his feelings, especially in front of strangers, nods. He can’t bring himself to make Geralt suffer when he’s actually trying to apologise. “We can talk after my shift? It ends in two hours. If you want to wait, I’ll make you a coffee.”

Geralt nods, orders a black coffee and finds a place in the coffee shop to sit. Whenever Jaskier throws a look over to the corner Geralt chose to sit at, he finds Geralt watching him, amber eyes following his every movement. And while Jaskier should feel uncomfortable about it, should feel uneasy, he doesn’t. It feels safe and familiar because Geralt has done it a million times before, back when they were still working together, or when they had been spending time at Jaskier’s flat. The one constant, when Jaskier has been playing at the pubs, has always been Geralt’s eyes on him, keeping him grounded.

Of course Jaskier knows now that Geralt was hired to watch him, but he can’t change the fact that he still feels a sense of security whenever Geralt actually does keep his eyes on him.

He nods at him and then smiles before he turns his attention to the next customer, the shop slowly starting to fill with customers and fans alike, who order coffees and teas and ask for photographs and autographs.

It’s strange to do it all while Geralt watches him, but Jaskier’s life has changed since Geralt stepped out of it, and Geralt needs to understand that this is part of Jaskier’s life now. Although he’s never talked about his private life in public, interviews or whatsoever, there has been a lot of rumours and speculation. Quite a few gossip rags have told elaborate stories about Jaskier dating some famous women he only once crossed paths with or in some cases never even met in person. But Jaskier doesn’t complain. It comes with the job. Even though he isn’t quite sure if he wouldn’t give it up, if Geralt asked him to, should it come to this.

He could teach music at the university here, could let others know about the beauty of it. Or he could become a producer, someone to work in the background. Though he doesn’t want to turn his life around for Geralt just like that, doesn’t want to just fall at his feet again and do whatever Geralt asks just to make him stay this time. However, the thoughts are in vain if Geralt and he don’t talk properly, don’t come to a conclusion anyway. And even though Jaskier doesn’t want to forgive Geralt that easily, he knows that he already has. He has forgiven him as soon as Geralt has walked through the door and looked at him with that stupid look on his stupidly handsome face, bringing everything back just by being there, because Jaskier gives his love easily and he forgives just as fast as he falls in love, even though it should take a lot more than a few uttered words of apology.

Jaskier ends his shift a little later but Geralt doesn’t complain, waiting for him by the counter as Jaskier tells his goodbye to everyone. They look at each other and Geralt lets out a short nod, holding open the door for Jaskier on the way out.

They don’t talk as they make their way down on the street towards the nearby Sansretour River, heading towards the port. It’s a beautiful day, the sun shining down on them but it’s not too hot to wander around. There are birds chirping loudly in the trees lining the streets and it would be the perfect romantic setting. However the atmosphere is strained between them, leaving Jaskier to let out a soft sigh. “Weren’t you the one insisting on a talk?” He asks quietly, not looking up at Geralt.

He knows he’s not exactly being fair by putting Geralt on the spot this way, but he still feels like he deserves actual, proper words. He’s not going to make this easy for Geralt, simply because Geralt never made this stupid whole love thing easy for him either. He feels like he deserves a proper talk, words to explain why he acted the way he did and most of all a proper apology.

Geralt takes a deep sigh. “I used to work as a kind of secret agent,” he finally says and keeps staring straight ahead, avoiding Jaskier’s eyes when his head whips around to look at Geralt. So Jaskier’s crazy theories had been right. Geralt actually was a man on a mission.

“So you are like a James Bond!” Jaskier exclaims, unable to hold himself back and Geralt actually smiles softly at that.

“Something like that, Jaskier, yes. I’m out now, though. That part is over and I’m living a normal, civilian life now.” Finally he looks over to him and his gaze is soft. “The agent thing is a bit different in real life, but yeah, it was something like that. Yennefer asked me for a favour because I owed her one from a past project.”

Jaskier’s eyebrows rise at that. “Oh, so she used to be a secret agent, too? I always knew something was off about her, I just couldn’t really place my finger on it. But well, I just thought she’d be like a witch in her spare time or something. I didn’t think it was as bad as that.”

Geralt however doesn’t seem fazed by Jaskier’s musings and simply continues to talk. “And the favour she requested was to investigate who tried to kill you.”

Jaskier has had a lot of time to think about it, coming to terms with what he heard Geralt and Yennefer talk about the day Geralt left his life. He’s still surprised to hear it, directed at him because it’s an information he can’t wrap his head around. “Because of all the accidents that happen around me.”

“Exactly. It turns out, you’re just clumsy.”

Jaskier shrugs. “I can’t exactly deny it,” he agrees and laughs softly, feeling some of the weirdness and the tight atmosphere ebb away. 

“So, my job was done and I needed to go back to finish my other projects so I could focus on adopting a child.”

“I know, Ciri.” Jaskier nods and smiles because while Geralt has rarely talked about her, there was never any doubt how important she is to him. Jaskier can hardly hold it against him. In that matter, Geralt has always played with open cards. However, he still feels the tightness in his chest, the knowledge that Geralt prioritised like that hurts to hear, again, after all this time. Finally Geralt is admitting what Jaskier has assumed. But it doesn’t make it any easier for Jaskier to deal with.

“Yes. It was her, actually, who opened my eyes about you.” Geralt turns towards him and his gaze is softer than Jaskier has ever seen it before. “I didn’t realise I would come to like you so much while doing my job.”

“Wow, that’s a real confession of feelings.” Jaskier rolls his eyes, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. It’s not what he’d been hoping for and while he knows it’s not easy for Geralt, he still feels that he deserves more. Some actual, proper words that let him know where they stand right now and don’t leave him guessing.

Geralt sighs. “I’m really not good at that.”

“I know, you big lump.” Jaskier steps closer towards him and cups his cheek. “I know.” He lets out a soft sigh. “I didn’t want to forgive you, for going away without a word. But the moment you stepped through the door today, I knew I already had.”

“I’m not a man who wants to build a relationship on lies. And that would have been the case if we started something. I didn’t want to lie more to you than I already did. It would have made you question everything else I told you. My feelings for you,” Geralt says quietly and brings his hand up to circle it around Jaskier’s, giving it a soft squeeze.

“I heard you. Back then when you told Yennefer that you didn’t find anything,” Jaskier admits then and sighs. “I was in the storage room.”

“I know.” Geralt smiles at him. “I’m very good at my job, Jaskier.”

“So you let me purposely overhear a conversation that wasn’t intended for me?” Jaskier asks back, surprised.

Geralt nods. “I wanted you to know the truth even though I was too afraid to tell you myself. And I knew that Yennefer would have never told you either.”

“Charming,” Jaskier mumbles and lets his hand slide down to Geralt’s heart, pressing Geralt’s own hand against his chest in the same movement. “I’m not really sure, but I think I should thank you for that then.”

Geralt gives him a confused look. “Why?” He asks, blinking slowly.

“You made me write my best song ever. I’m a world famous popstar now and I bet someone is taking our pictures as we speak.”

“Not really the thing I was looking for,” Geralt admits and looks around before his gaze comes to rest back on Jaskier. “But I’m here to win you back. Or win you at all, seeing as I never had you.”

“Oh you big idiot. You’ve always had me,” Jaskier whispers and finally rocks up on his toes to place his lips on Geralt’s, kissing him soft and slow right in the middle of the street, not caring if the whole world gets to see it.

They still got a long road ahead of them, but Jaskier is willing to work on it and he knows that Geralt is, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, thank you to everyone who has found the time to drop me a comment and made me smile. Also thanks to the people leaving kudos. You're great.
> 
> The fic is finally finished. I'd apologise for rushing the end but I read a post lately that fic authors should stop apologising because we're giving out our words for free, so I'm not apologising.   
> However, this is the final chapter and now it's over. So I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it (funny story, I had actually finished writing the first draft in the first five days of June.) 
> 
> Thanks for sticking with this story!

**Author's Note:**

> I’m [sassypopstar](http://sassypopstar.tumblr.com) on tumblr. If you want to come and talk to me. <3


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